


What Sentinels Feel and Don't Feel

by Seaward



Series: What Sentinels Know and Don't Know [2]
Category: Stargate Atlantis, The Sentinel
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fusion, Alternate Universe - Sentinels & Guides, First Time, Multi, Original Character(s), Polyamory, Polyamory Negotiations, Spirit Animals
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-28
Updated: 2015-08-28
Packaged: 2018-04-17 17:19:54
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 70,077
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4675010
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Seaward/pseuds/Seaward
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Much of Atlantis is still unexplored, and Sentinel Sheppard isn't sure he should let any of the scientists travel off world. Meanwhile, Sentinels, Guides, and others keep touching things and people, often with surprising results.</p>
            </blockquote>





	What Sentinels Feel and Don't Feel

**Author's Note:**

> This is pretty much completely AU at this point, although some mentions of events could be taken as spoilers if you twist your mind and squint a bit. This part takes place entirely on Atlantis, so Blair/Jim and everyone on Earth are completely off screen until the next story. Many thanks to Elayna for helping with this (again!). Any remaining errors are mine and will now be considered features.

Rodney McKay glared at his console in the Atlantis control center. Only an idiot could feel safe in an Ancient city, where less than five percent of the interior had been explored since humans recharged it and raised it from the bottom of an alien ocean a week before. Soaring towers and stained glass were all well and good until you had to deal with lower levels that reeked of mold or transporter destinations that failed for even his Sentinel's strong ATA gene.

Of course Rodney latched onto the personal shield. He glanced protectively to where the gleaming crystal adhered to his uniform. How could he have known that a Guide could activate it? The only other Ancient devices beyond daily necessities that responded to Guides were the Puddle Jumpers. (John should never be allowed to name anything again.)

Rodney wanted to shout for some useless gate room minion to bring him coffee, but the shield wouldn't let him eat or drink. He searched the Ancient systems for data that might allow escape from the personal shield. Simultaneously, he tried to ferret out what the Puddle Jumpers and the personal shield had in common with mental light switches, door openers, and shower controls—other than all being operable by Guides. He conducted his search from a control room console, because for now it had the fastest access.

The lights around him flashed and dimmed. McKay's console blanked for a moment then hummed back on.

Weir came out of her office asking, "Can anyone explain what just happened?"

John rushed into the gate room and hit the stairs two at a time.

McKay ignored both and brought up power diagnostics.

The quiet British guy, Groanin or whatever his name was, jumped to a console beside McKay. He brought up a different screen of power readings and tried to answer Elizabeth's question. "We had a power surge here." He pointed to an unexplored level on a map of the city.

"I have a team exploring that area," John answered.

"Didn't you tell them not to touch anything?" Rodney muttered. "As bad as children, especially those with the gene. Have to touch anything shiny, or weapon-like, or that might fly."

"McKaaaay." John stretched the two syllables into three and Rodney remembered that his Sentinel was still annoyed with him about the personal shield, because it blocked some of his access to his Guide. "I didn't have Markham or Stackhouse in that group, and they're the only other Sentinel or Guide in the military contingent."

"Carson's ATA test doesn't identify Guides, and it's practically voodoo for the rest." Rodney protested as he kept typing. "You only know about Stackhouse because of Markham. There could be others, or it could be something that anyone could trigger."

"Or it could be a random malfunction," John countered.

Just then the gate started dialing. Rodney jumped to stop it.

Elizabeth asked, "Dr. Grodin, why is the gate activating?"

"Remote activation. I can't stop it."

"I pulled the power crystal," Rodney announced, holding a large yellow crystal aloft as the DHD went dark. "Think that was a random malfunction?" Rodney hurried back to his previous console. "Energy just drained from ancillary power at water processing."

"Receiving report of random power outages and flashing lights all over the city," Grodin reported. "Outages seem to be following a path that originated with that power surge, went to water processing, and is heading toward the ZedPMs."

"Prepare to shut them off and switch to our naquadah backups if power outages continue on that path." Rodney turned to John, "I need to see anything your mentally and tactilely challenged minions touched."

John nodded and tapped his radio, "Sheppard to Lorne's patrol."

"Backup power on. Remote shut down of ZedPMs," Grodin announced. Then half a minute later he said, "The path of outages seems to be diverting toward the backup power."

"Okay, something is actively seeking power. Assign science teams to install backup generators and monitoring devices in the largest loop we have cleared. One of you monkeys can shut down each power source remotely before whatever mechanism or entity we're fighting reaches it."

As Grodin relayed instructions by radio, Rodney followed John to where Lorne reported bumping into something in a possible science lab.

#

John watched Rodney scan the device, two square metal ends and some shiny buttons surrounding a crystal cylinder. "Containment vessel, uses subspace. Why would this open without ATA?"

As Rodney continued to mutter and search, John questioned Major Lorne and the two Marines with him, "All of you tested negative for the ATA gene?"

"Yes, sir." Both Marines replied.

"Anomalous test results, sir," his XO, Lorne, replied. The man's gaze focused calmly straight ahead, but his heart beat had been accelerating since his CO entered the room.

John raised an eyebrow. "Any sign of Sentinel senses? I don't care what BS you might have told someone before. I need to know."

"None, sir. I went through several rounds of tests. Dr. Beckett said I was only an initial match on his genetic tests but with no protein expression."

"Voodoo," Rodney whispered loud enough for everyone to hear.

John stopped his eyes from rolling at the antics of his scientist and kept up the firm CO front that the situation called for. "You're all to report directly to the infirmary to test for any signs of contact with whatever that device held. Major, inform Dr. Beckett that you opened something McKay thinks should have had an ATA lock."

"Yes, sir."

They left. John shook his head before turning back to Rodney.

Rodney met his eyes before tapping his radio, "Dr. Weir, McKay here. We have a containment device the Ancients used to trap an entity that feeds on energy. They were studying ascension. The entity will become larger and more dangerous the more energy it takes in."

"Ascension?" Weir asked.

Rodney waved his hands and paced, even though Dr. Weir couldn't see. "They believed in a higher plain of existence where they'd become pure energy. But they're not saying this thing is ascended, just something to study."

"Is it sentient?" Weir asked.

"Possibly, but we can't communicate. It is completely non-corporeal. Also, humans could be targets. We are energy sources, too."

John was looking over Rodney's shoulder at the data and translations concerning the device. He tapped his radio. "It looks like the device will lure the creature if we deprive it of any larger energy source. But I'll have to stay here to push the button."

"Couldn't McKay do that?" Weir asked. "He has the personal shield."

At that moment the shield fell from Rodney's chest. Rodney stared down at it.

John answered Weir, "Not anymore. I'll let you know when we're ready with the trap." He clicked his radio off and wrapped his arms around his Guide. "Are you okay?"

"I don't know why that happened."

John thought it obvious that McKay felt less safe being asked to trigger the device with the shield on than doing anything else with the shield off. For a moment, John indulged himself and buried his face in his Guide's neck, relishing the familiar tangy scent, even if it was overlaid with sweat and fear smell. The scent and the warmth of his Guide against him released tension throughout the Sentinel's body. "I don't care. Here, eat." He handed McKay a power bar and scooped up the deactivated shield device.

"I'd make it work for you, but it keys to one person," McKay said with his mouth full.

John didn't want to let go of the device. Even turned off, it held some lingering trace of Rodney. John had missed touching his Guide, but he had the real thing here now. He pressed up against Rodney's back as he ate and slid the shield device deep into Rodney's pants pocket. "I want you to keep it, just in case."

"Like I'd risk dying of starvation again."

John rubbed against his Guide and buried his nose in the fine hair at the base of his neck, damp with sweat and smelling so strongly of Rodney. John was half hard but knew there wasn't time for anything. "You should get out of here so I can trap this creature before it makes too much repair work for your staff."

"But," Rodney turned, the last of the power bar crammed in his mouth. He grumbled something that John barely made out as, "Don't let it eat you."

"Only you get to do that." He cupped Rodney's ass and pulled him in tight enough so he couldn't miss John's arousal.

"How can you be horny at a time like this?"

John squeezed Rodney's ass and thrust against him again until he felt Rodney shudder. Then he let the scientist go. "Get back to the control room. As soon as you're clear you can turn off other power sources to herd the entity toward this trap."

"But—" John pressed a finger to his mouth, cutting off a rant they didn't have time for. Rodney stepped back and picked up his scanner and tools. He looked at John, and the Sentinel could hear his Guide's heart race.

"Go. I'll be okay."

Rodney snorted as he left, and John wondered how anyone mistook his Guide for not caring about people.

When everything was in place and the entity came, John stood behind the containment device. The room was dark and crowded. A cold light came from the unimposing device.

A huge cloud of black swarmed through the door. It kept coming and coming into the small room. John wanted to joke about the size but didn't want to stir Rodney's guilt about not taking his place using the shield. With Rodney's claustrophobia, this would have been a nightmare.

John tensed, hand on his useless sidearm, waiting to spring the trap.

Then the entity fled.

John took a deep breath, suddenly much more worried.

He hit his radio, "It didn't work. The entity won't fall a second time for the same trick the Ancients used."

John was headed back to the control room when he heard a call for Carson and a medical team.

#

Brett left the anthropology library as soon as he heard Gabi and Shane assigned on the science radio channel he monitored. They'd been sent, along with Dr. Kusanagi, to set up a generator on level two. While he'd been a quick study at Ancient even on Earth, he'd done nothing but translations from the Ancient database for a week. This confirmed his belief that he was better suited to anthropology than linguistics, because he was already beyond stir crazy. He wished the people in charge would let them go through the gate and do some real anthropology. Or they could at least let him tag along with the soldiers exploring the city. There had to be something more he could do than hang around waiting to recharge the ZPM with his Sentinel and shaman if needed.

Now he was rushing to join Gabi and Shane. Even if he couldn't do more than fetch and carry for them, at least he'd be doing something to help in the current crisis. Also, he missed the three of them working together. While Shane managed to spend part of each day in anthropology and part in engineering with Gabi, Brett hardly saw Gabi during the day. She hadn't even shown up for lunch or dinner the last couple days, and while Brett was trying hard to build other connections, he missed her. How had she been the one who worried about being dependent or needing each other too much? Since they came to Atlantis, it seemed like neither she nor anyone else needed Brett. Shane could drive him crazy with flirting and attention, but in the end, Brett was usually the one left feeling needy as he tried not to rush his relationship with Shane.

His cheetah appeared in front of him. Brett hadn't been able to see spirit animals for very long, but he was pretty sure it wasn't a good sign.

The cheetah tried to steer him away from where he was heading to help Shane and Gabi. But Brett was certain his route was more direct, so he pressed ahead.

#

Gabi hooked up the Naquadah generator in record time. Dr. Kusanagi tapped rapidly on her laptop as she coordinated with the rest of the science teams, ignoring both Gabi and Shane. Lights flashed and dimmed as Gabi jumped to connect wires from her generator to the Ancient monitoring device Shane was calibrating against the wall.

"Is it coming this way?" Gabi asked the room at large.

"Not yet," Kusanagi muttered.

At the same moment Shane said, "The dimmed lights are a Sentinel friendly alarm system."

Gabi turned to him in surprise and caught Kusanagi's head jerking up with a similar expression.

"McKay told me to study Ancient tech related to Sentinels and Guides." Shane replied without pausing in his work. "It's in my briefing notes for tomorrow's science meeting."

"Tomorrow," Kusanagi said with a laugh looking back to her laptop. "Good you're here today to tell us. I'll pass it on."

The lights flickered and settled to barely luminous. Gabi dialed up vision to compensate even as she asked, "Another warning?"

Shane was shaking his head as the door to the small room slammed shut.

"Power failing. It's headed our way." Kusanagi waved her hand as if scooping water toward the wall.

Shane and Gabi followed her to the far side of the room, away from the generator and the energy monitor.

Kusanagi powered down her laptop. "I'd rather not risk losing it to the entity. The plan is to keep the energy entity running in circles as Dr. Grodin shuts down whichever power source it approaches. The plan also presumes all humans will be out of the area before the entity passes." She shrugged. "With luck, the sealed door will be enough to discourage its interest in power sources as small as us."

Gabi admired how calm Dr. Kusanagi and Shane were. She was glad they couldn't hear her heart beat faster and faster as she let her hearing and vibrational sense slide up to match her vision, wondering if she could sense a being that fed on energy. Instead she heard pounding footsteps and a familiar heartbeat. Brett's cheetah leapt through the sealed door. Gabi threw herself at the small console by the door thinking "Open, open, open!" She tried swapping the top and middle crystals and removing the top one to try to short between the other two.

Gabi's aardvark appeared snuffling at the door. Brett's cheetah arrived and growled but also seemed unable to pass through.

The scream that tore at Gabi's ears didn't sound at all like Brett. He had never made a noise like that and never should. But each part of the sound was Brett. Each part was a frequency and vibration she associated with Brett. Gabi couldn't stand the noise but couldn't stop listening. The scream echoed in her brain after it stopped. When the door finally opened, Gabi almost fell through it.

The cheetah bounded down the hall and around a corner. Gabi and her aardvark skidded as they made the turn only to find the cheetah standing over Brett's sprawled body. Smoke rose from his clothes, from his hair. The burnt smell hit Gabi as her hearing zoomed in. No heartbeat.

She heard Shane's and Kusanagi's heartbeats behind her. Kusanagi called for her Sentinel and for a medical team.

Gabi stood frozen as her aardvark charged forward, crashing into the cheetah. The spirit animals merged in a flash of light. Their afterimages superimposed on Gabi's vision. Brett took a breath. His heart started, faint and fast.

Gabi rushed forward and dropped down, grabbing Brett's hand. The flesh was cold despite the smoking sleeve above it.

Shane skidded to his knees and lifted Brett's feet into his lap. Gabi heard the motions, saw enough in her peripheral vision. She couldn't take her eyes off Brett.

Time stretched. The rattle of a gurney pushed by a medical team took so long approaching that Gabi managed to let go by the time Dr. Beckett told her to.

The next thing she knew she was in the infirmary next to Brett's bed. She was sitting in a chair holding Brett's right hand. Everyone had left except Shane who was sitting across from her holding Brett's other hand. The hand Gabi held was a reasonable temperature now. Brett's heartbeat was as strong and slow as usual for when he was sleeping.

"Did I zone or have a seizure?"

"No," Shane answered. She saw the arm that he wasn't using for Brett was petting her aardvark who'd pressed up against his knee. Brett's cheetah and Shane's African wild dog were curled up together on the end of the hospital bed. "Your spirit animal saved Brett. There's a new scar here." Shane passed his hand behind a long pink ridge that ran across her aardvark's shoulder and ribs. "In this plane, it took something not physical, probably whatever energy the entity took from Brett."

"Are we safe now?"

"They're trying to send the entity though the stargate."

"I don't feel anything." Gabi's mind was barely processing, but she thought she should be angry or frightened or emoting somehow. She couldn't make herself leave Brett now if she tried, but at the same time she felt empty, like she'd used up whatever she felt for him.

"Give it time. I'll drag you both to the spirit plane if you need it. But I don't think you'll need that."

Gabi leaned forward so her cheek rested where she held Brett's hand. She let her eyes close.

#

Rodney didn't like the plan. Trying to lure the energy sucking entity through the Gate with a naquadah generator on a MALP as bait could go wrong in so many ways. The entity had dodged their last trap. If it dodged this time the next tastiest sources of energy were the stargate itself and then the humans in the control room. Rodney was one of those humans, and he'd spent enough of his day worrying he'd die of starvation with the personal shield on. Ending up as something else's dinner was not any more appealing.

He watched as John waited below and started the MALP on its way up the ramp as the blackness that was the alien entity surged into the room. John ran up the steps as the entity swarmed into the lower level. Rodney was suddenly more afraid for John than for himself or anyone else. The blackness flowed to cover the ramp, the MALP, the lower half of the stairs. John stayed ahead of it, but it had grown so big. What if it filled the room?

The MALP was no longer visible, but nothing had passed through the Gate. Rodney didn't think his time sense was that far off. If this trap was going to work, something should be happening now.

There was only one solution. He couldn't look at John, or he'd never do it.

Rodney slapped the Ancient shield back onto his chest and walked down the stairs not knowing if the shield would protect him or not. Then he passed into a maelstrom of darkness and energy that plinked and sizzled against his shield. The wrongness of his environment grated into every nerve ending, like being in vacuum and being buried alive both at once.

One foot in front of the other. Rodney lifted the generator off the MALP and heaved it through the stargate as hard as he could. Then he collapsed into himself amidst all that wrongness.

#

By the time John saw what Rodney was doing, his Guide's feet were already lost in darkness. John reached out his hearing to focus on Rodney's very fast heartbeat. He sensed the muffling sound/feel/vibration of the personal shield and suddenly hated the device more than anything. He didn't want Rodney to risk this. He couldn't lose Rodney.

He lost the heartbeat as the entity completely surrounded his lover.

The entity was invisible to John's senses, an absence of sight, sound, smell, or even vibration. The absence absorbed Rodney and John froze, knees locked, nauseated by the wrongness of it.

Then suddenly the black sea whooshed through the stargate and Rodney was lying flat, like a dead fish washed ashore.

John took the staircase in two leaps. He landed next to Rodney before his Guide's heartbeat registered in John's ears. There was no muffling from the personal shield. John closed one hand around the device on Rodney's chest, meaning to toss it aside. Somehow he ended up grasping it, still holding it against Rodney's chest as he laced his other hand through Rodney's fingers.

Blue eyes blinked up at him. "That sucked."

Rodney pushed himself to sitting and into John's arms as a medical team someone more rational must have called rushed in.

"Go away," Rodney flailed a hand at the nearest medic. "I don't need your voodoo. I need time with my Sentinel."

The medic didn't bother arguing, he tapped his radio and called Beckett who replied directly to Rodney. "McKay, I still have all the big needles, whether you think I use them for voodoo or not. You may bring your Sentinel with you to the infirmary, but no stopping along the way."

"Come on, Rodney. I'll make it up to you later." John helped Rodney off the floor and pocketed the drained shield device for reasons he didn't want to examine too closely. Now that his Guide and all his people were safe, John's contempt for the device seemed completely turned around.

In the infirmary John hovered with a hand on Rodney's ankle. He needed to touch, and Carson was too busy arguing with Rodney to fuss at John.

Across the room, John could see that Brett was still unconscious, and his Sentinel seemed to have fallen asleep with her head on the bed next to their clasped hands. Shane sat on the far side with his dog and Brett's cheetah. John wondered where the aardvark was and why their spirit animals were hanging around the infirmary.

Something about seeing the animals with them made John feel slightly better. He hated thinking that the kids had been the ones most hurt by the day's events. Although John had Marines who were younger than Brett, it was hard to see the freckled blond civilian as anything but a kid. Somehow it helped John to see him surrounded by friends and animals.

#

Brett woke up naked in the sun. He felt leaves and plants beneath his bare back. The smell of growing things and damp was thick around him. When he opened his eyes, the sun shone hot and bright through a gap in the trees, a gap that ran above the creek that flowed beside him. He heard the creek rushing and falling over rocks and its own tiny rapids. He heard birds and a chirp in the distance that sounded more like an African wild dog. More than anything, he heard a snuffling. Whiskers and an occasional flash of mostly smooth skin around breathy nostrils caressed and tickled their way up his body. Brett understood Gabi's aardvark was checking him over before he even remembered the dark cloud-like entity that had sucked the something out of him.

The details didn't matter until he realized he didn't know what the something he'd lost was. Was it "life"? Was it "energy"? Brett never had trusted words much. He trusted Gabi though.

Whatever the something was, it had been replaced in a rush. Gabi's aardvark had jumped into his cheetah, not against his cheetah, but occupying the same space at the same time. Perhaps what spirit animals occupied couldn't really be called "space", but whatever it was, they didn't usually overlap with each other. They wouldn't be able to cuddle up together nearly so well if they passed through each other all the time. Frequently, they passed through walls and through people who couldn't sense them, but not each other or those on the shaman's path.

In the moment when Gabi's aardvark overlapped with Brett's cheetah, he had trusted her absolutely. He'd felt her complete acceptance and love for him, and if he'd ever had any doubts about his standing with her before, it was impossible then.

Brett thought that if he was going to study shamans, Sentinels, Guides, and how they all related to the Ancients and Atlantis, it would help if he could understand at least the bits that happened to him.

After a while, the aardvark's long snout no longer sniffed and petted Brett. It started poking him in the side over and over. He lifted his head and saw a long pink ridge, like a knife wound just starting to heal, sliced from the aardvark's shoulder to midway down her back. He lifted his hand to touch the warm skin beside the mark. "No."

The aardvark jerked her head to bat his hand away and then poked him twice hard in the ribs.

"Fine, I'll roll over. But you better be okay."

Brett rolled to his front and let the aardvark's snout trace down one side and along his leg until the whiskers hit the soles of his feet. "Stop."

The touch stopped immediately. Brett looked over his shoulder at the tilted head of an aardvark that looked much too worried to pass as an ordinary animal. No aardvark facial features could explain it. Waves of worry just rolled outward from Gabi's aardvark. "I'm not hurt. I'm just ticklish. Either skip the bottoms of my feet or press hard enough that I won't twitch and accidentally kick you in the face."

The aardvark tilted her head to the other side. Then she lay down on her belly and rubbed the underside of her snout much more firmly across the sole of first one foot, then the other. Problem solved, the spirit animal continued her very thorough inspection, including sniffing right along the crack of Brett's ass. He wondered how Gabi would react if she was aware of that part, and then he wondered why he was in a tropical forest with Gabi's aardvark anyway. By the time the aardvark sneezed after trying to inhale Brett's hair, he'd gone back to just relaxing in the sun.

When the aardvark started to lie down between Brett's arm and his body, he rolled to his side so he could stroke and inspect for himself. "Your skin and hair seem smoother than ever, but I'm worried about this cut down your side. Should we wash it in the creek?"

The aardvark just cuddled in closer, nudging Brett flat on his back. She rested her head and snout against his bare chest. The injured shoulder was still right where Brett could see it.

"Is Gabi hurt? Can I help her?"

The spirit animal blinked up at Brett with eyelids that looked tired.

Then the aardvark turned into a naked Gabi, stretched out along Brett's side. Her head was resting on Brett's chest, just as her spirit animal's had been. She blinked up at him with slightly sad, tired eyes and then seemed to fall asleep.

Brett's hand reached out to stroke the smooth, unblemished skin on her shoulder and back. He didn't understand exactly what had happened, but Gabi wasn't cut or scarred. She was safe and asleep beside him.

#

Gabi woke as the stroking on her shoulder changed to gentle shaking. "All right, lads and lassie, time for you and your assorted critters to exit my infirmary." That was Dr. Beckett's brogue and his hand shaking her shoulder.

"You can see all the spirit animals now?" Brett asked, sounding much more awake than Gabi felt. She was still half caught in a dream where Brett had been stroking her shoulder.

"Aye, since before we came to Atlantis."

"Do you know what changed?"

"Not anything we'll be discussing this evening. I've cleared you for bed rest in your quarters. Make sure one of them brings you dinner and stays with you tonight. I'll want you in for a checkup before noon tomorrow."

Brett swung his legs over the side of the bed, and Gabi stood, still holding his hand. Shane stood on the other side of the bed with all three of their spirit animals crowded around his feet.

They made their way back to Brett's room. The three of them had chosen rooms all in a row, with Shane in the middle. Connecting doors had appeared inside as soon as Gabi thought to look for them. In the same way, she'd discovered cubbies for storing hot or cold snacks and outlets where she could jury rig a phone and computer charger. Overall, she was very happy with their accommodations.

However, when Brett climbed into bed, Gabi wished she had the room next door. She knew it was unfair, because Brett and Shane were getting to the point in their relationship where they'd probably need private access to each other's rooms. Gabi just wanted to be able to look in on Brett tonight without disturbing either him or Shane.

"Is there any chance I could sleep here, on your floor, tonight?" Gabi gestured to the space in front of Brett's desk. "The doctor said someone should stay with you." She looked quickly at Shane. "Or we could both stay, like a sleepover."

Brett smiled up from his pillow. "I'd like that."

"Me too," Shane agreed. "We can just carry our mattresses in here, then I'll go get our food."

"Could we put all three mattresses together on the floor?" Brett asked.

Over the last six months, they'd spent a lot of time cuddled together on one bed—talking, watching movies, sometimes falling asleep that way. They hadn't intentionally spent the night together before, but none of them had almost died before either. Gabi and Shane moved Brett's mattress to the middle of the room. Then they moved his bed frame up against the wall and went to get each of their mattresses.

When Shane went for food, Brett motioned Gabi over to lie beside him. He was lying on his back, and he pulled her against one side so her head was resting on his chest. For a moment it felt very good. Gabi relaxed into Brett's warmth, the vibrations of his breathing, the beating of his heart. Then she remembered dreaming that she'd been like this with Brett, but naked, in a jungle. Her body stiffened, and she tried to pull away.

"So you remember being this way earlier?" Brett asked.

"I thought it was a dream."

"I think maybe it was the spirit plane. Shane talked about meeting spirit animals there sometimes."

"Umm," Gabi squirmed, not sure if she was glad or annoyed that she couldn't see Brett's face in their current position. "I didn't think that was—I mean, I sort of thought that was an analogy or guided meditation or something."

"I think it's how the spirit animals get between places in our plane so fast."

"But we're not spirit animals, or was I…" Gabi closed her eyes and buried her face in Brett's shoulder. "I thought that was all a dream."

"I'm sure our bodies stayed here, so you can call it a dream if you want. But we shared it. How did you experience the aardvark part?"

"I didn't feel like I was in control of that part. Either I was just experiencing it from inside my aardvark's body or maybe just the Sentinel part of me was there, until I turned into me, at which point I was mostly asleep. But before the dream I felt very detached and kind of empty, and now I feel more like myself." What she couldn't say was that while she'd been falling asleep naked in Brett's arms, she'd felt completely safe and wanted for the first time in her life.

There was a part of touch, something unpleasant that she'd never isolated as a separate feeling before, that hadn't been part of touching Brett on the spirit plane. Probably Brett would want her to tell him about it, but as he liked to point out, some things were impossible to describe in words. It was hard for Gabi to even pin down in her own mind. It felt like an intrusion or fear or confusion. She remembered refusing to sleep with her mother after a certain age and being less and less comfortable with her mother's touch as time went by. She'd never liked most people's touch, even apart from the times when her skin was oversensitive to any stimuli. But even when she'd discovered how good touch could be from Brett or sometimes Shane, there had been an unpleasant aspect. Until whatever happened with their spirit animals merging and the visit to the spirit plane, Gabi hadn't realized touch could be entirely free of whatever that feeling was. Touch shared with Brett on the spirit plane had been completely safe and good.

When Gabi stayed silent, Brett began to speak, holding Gabi close but staring at the ceiling. "The spirit plane seemed pretty normal to me, maybe a little dreamlike. But before that, I think I had an out of body experience when your aardvark merged with my cheetah and you and Shane came to me in the hall. I watched the whole thing from the ceiling or someplace. Then I don't remember anything until the spirit plane."

"I kind of remember people talking in the infirmary, but that was pretty dreamlike, too," Gabi said, letting her more complicated thoughts process in the background. "I know they sent the energy sucking entity that hurt you through the wormhole. And Shane showed me a new scar on my aardvark from saving you."

Brett pulled her in tighter. "I saw that long cut. I'm so sorry."

"I'm not. I'd let them do a lot worse, to me physically, to not lose you. I thought you were dead at first."

"I think maybe I was."

Gabi tried to pull them even closer together, but there wasn't any space between them. She buried her face in Brett's neck, rubbing against his skin and breathing in deep. She mumbled against his neck, "You think it's a Sentinel and Guide thing?"

"Pretty sure, still think it's all too one-sided?"

"Shane could have saved you, and you wouldn't have to worry about him zoning or spiking." She didn't mention that Shane being male was also a better match for Brett.

"I don't think he could have. He didn't."

"I bet he would have if I wasn't there."

"Do you really? I feel like he's still building something with each of us, but I'm not sure even he knows exactly what."

"Do you think we should ask him?"

"Not tonight. I don't want him to feel bad or excluded, and I'm not sure any of us are ready for that conversation."

Gabi didn't think Shane had any reason to feel excluded. He probably could have answered all Brett's questions about the spirit plane and spirit animals merging to save someone's life. And pretty soon, he'd really be Brett's boyfriend, and Gabi knew she'd be the one excluded then, at least sometimes. It was nice that they were taking it slow. That gave Gabi time to adjust and learn to be independent again. Perhaps she could even learn from the day's events to find ways of making herself more self-sufficient.

#

Dr. Beckett kept McKay in the infirmary until dinnertime, at which point he ordered both John and Rodney to get out of his sight until the 0900 senior staff meeting unless there was a medical emergency.

John took his Guide by the mess to pick up plenty of food for them both but then chivied him back toward their room to eat. Rodney swiped a breadstick off the heaping tray as they walked. He devoured it in a way that should have been the opposite of sexy, all gobbling and grinding teeth. But he made small moaning sounds of appreciation and was so focused he forgot to complain about anything. That was enough to make John push him faster.

Once inside their quarters, John set down the tray and pressed Rodney up against the wall. With the entire length of his body holding his lover in place, John leaned in to kiss the buttery salty breadstick flavor from Rodney's lips.

Rodney kissed back, sliding his tongue along John's as they traced inside Rodney's mouth and then inside John's. All the taste buds and nerve endings in John's mouth surged at once, pushing his taste and touch scales higher and higher. Tasting his Guide so strongly made John inhale deeply, filling himself with the strong smells of his Guide after a long and stressful day. John didn't know why those smells, tangy sweat and musty metalics, the familiar overlaid with past fear and stress, put him so on edge. But combined with the taste and touch washing over his tongue, John found himself seconds from coming.

As if his Guide somehow knew, Rodney's blunt fingers slid straight down the back of John's pants. The crack between his ass cheeks was slick with sweat. When Rodney's finger seemed rough around the edges, John knew his sense of touch was dialed too high, but he was too far gone to care. He pushed his tongue deep into Rodney's mouth. His hips bucked hard against Rodney's and then back onto Rodney's finger now pressing against John's hole. One more trust forward and John was coming in his pants.

Rodney pressed his finger and used his free hand to palm John's ass. He pushed their bodies together and gave John enough sensation to keep him bucking through his orgasm.

John broke from the kiss, panting against the side of Rodney's face. He couldn't believe he'd just come in his pants. His senses had taken over, and John had let them.

Now the cooling wetness and the disturbing roughness of all his clothing made John hiss in discomfort.

"Dial it down," Rodney said. "Proud as I am to make you come so fast, I'm guessing you've got to be way up there on your number line for touch and maybe taste and smell as well."

"Do you want?" John offered. The feel of his clothing was a turn off even as he dialed down touch, but he wasn't one to go shooting off and leaving Rodney behind.

"Yes, I want, but I also want my ravioli and more breadsticks while they're warm. I can wait until after we eat."

John kissed the stubbled skin that happened to be nearest his mouth and pulled away. "I'll just go change into something not entirely uncomfortable."

"Leave your food unattended at your own risk." Rodney lunged at the table and took a bite of ravioli before even sitting down.

John stripped and washed himself quickly. He had his senses set back to his personal norms, just a little above other people's, but none of his usual clothing appealed to him. The memory of his discomfort after coming was almost enough to make him eat naked. Instead, he found a pair of soft silk boxers.

When he sat down at the table, Rodney stared. "That's just not fair."

"What? I had to hurry before you ate all my food." John took a ravioli in his mouth and hummed his approval. He darted his tongue out to clean his lips.

Rodney moaned. His mouth hung slightly open, no food in it. His pupils were huge, eyes fixed on John's chest.

"Did I spill something?" John ran a hand over his chest as if checking for drips. He made sure to brush his nipples a couple of times each in passing. Bringing another ravioli to his mouth, John licked the sauce off before sliding it whole between his lips. Then he stretched and traced a toe up Rodney's calf.

"You're shamelessly taking advantage of my soft-heartedness in letting you come first."

"Soft-heartedness? Haven't you said one of the perks of having a Sentinel is that I can monitor your heart health? The military recommends an hour a day or aerobic activity. I could help you with that."

"I'm not in the military."

"You could be in me."

Rodney moaned. John slid his foot along the inside of Rodney's leg until it rested on the chair between Rodney's thighs. He pointed his toes to tease Rodney's cock.

"An hour of this might kill me."

"Tempt me like that, and I'll see just how long I can keep your heartbeat in that aerobic range. Not quite there yet." John listened and counted as he continued to fondle with his foot and eat with lots of extra licking. "There, that sounds good. An hour or two at that rate should have plenty of health benefits."

"Sure, if I want to try out for a marathon."

"No, a marathon would mean keeping that pace all night. You want to try for a marathon with me, Rodney?"

Rodney whimpered. John's cock managed a twitch of renewed interest.

"Better eat first. Need to keep up your strength."

Despite the hard heat John's toes felt and a heart rate slightly above a hundred beats per minute, Rodney devoured the rest of his food. He didn't lick or tease the way John had been. But he moaned and whimpered. John wasn't sure which noises to attribute to the food and which to John's foot snuggling in happily as Rodney leaned in toward the table. Either way, John's body took notice. He'd be running this marathon right along with his lover.

When Rodney finished eating he stood up and started removing clothing as he walked to the bedroom. This left John with a trail of clothing and the sight of Rodney's wiggling ass. Luckily, John had already eaten enough.

He caught up to find his Guide spread eagled on the bed. His red leaking erection pointed proudly up, and the smell of Rodney's arousal almost sent John into a zone. John pegged his smell number line firmly at two. Then he crawled up the mattress touching and licking his way between Rodney's legs to his most sensitive areas.

John heard Rodney's heart race as high as John would let it go before he focused on other appealing bits of skin. He trailed fingers lightly over the smooth place above his Guide's hip, a patch he knew and liked well. His tongue traced Rodney's salty stomach and navel as his hands stroked shivering sides. Each rib conducted vibrations from Rodney's tense muscles and harsh breathing. John checked the extra number line Gabi had urged him to make for vibrations and also set his touch lower so he wouldn't get carried away.

"Roll over," John said.

The spike in Rodney's pulse as he complied gave away his expectations, but John gentled him down and started massaging his back.

Rodney moaned in frustration before relaxing under John's hands. The Sentinel shamelessly used his heart monitoring trick to give Rodney a very thorough full body massage while keeping him aroused enough for a triple digit heart rate. It took only a single finger teasing Rodney's ass or even his ear to keep his lover eager.

"There, you've already gotten an hour of adaptive cardio exercise, but since you wanted to go for a marathon."

"No, you wouldn't."

"Of course I would. I learned the joy of experimentation from an expert."

John rolled Rodney over, pinning his scientist with his whole body while he kissed him senseless.

When Rodney was squirming beneath him and well past arguing, John sat astride his hips and started stroking and massaging Rodney's arms. He remembered how Rodney had once asked if Sentinels could somehow dial their Guide's sense of touch higher. Watching goose bumps form on Rodney's inner arm at the ghost of a touch, John thought he knew what Rodney meant. Keeping Rodney on the edge for so long made his awesomely responsive lover even more responsive. John was pretty sure he could make his Guide come just from sitting with their cocks together and teasing the skin inside Rodney's elbow.

John backed off once again when Rodney became too ramped up. Rodney groaned and muttered what might have been intricate insults if Rodney was coherent enough to form words. John finished massaging every muscle while letting Rodney relax just a little bit.

Then John took the lube from their nightstand and said, "Rodney, open your eyes."

            Rodney's pupils were huge as he opened his eyes to watch John pressing his finger into his own hole. "Just watch." John took his time prepping himself. He had to dial touch down below normal, because he'd been hard for almost as long as Rodney had.

Finally, he took his slick hand to Rodney's cock and eased himself down carefully. He was afraid to breathe as he heard Rodney's pulse spike. Rodney panted loudly, clearly trying to keep himself from coming instantly as well.

John kept Sentinel still as both he and Rodney adjusted. Then he slowly leaned forward to kiss the corner of Rodney's mouth. Rodney started panting again but held on.

John took a deep breath, finding the scent of his Guide, along with trace smells of ravioli and coffee, made it both easier to stay calm and harder not to pump up and down to make them both come. Instead, John rocked his hips in slow small movements. He let his sense of touch slide up to near normal, so he was almost as close to the edge as his Guide.

Their hearts both beat as if they were running a race.

John knew the finish line would be his choice. Rodney was wide open and moaning beneath him. His Guide was lost in pleasure. He had let John take him this far and push him past any point where he might argue or take back control.

Part of John wanted to continue riding Rodney all night. Part of him was demanding to come right away.

John repositioned himself so Rodney's cock slid against his prostate. Then he challenged himself to hold on as long as possible without dialing touch down any further than it was already.

After several minutes, John heard himself moaning in time with Rodney, every time he pushed himself down and pulled himself up. The moans were getting faster. John's thighs were starting to tremble. For another couple minutes, John managed to keep them both right on the edge. Then Rodney's cock pulsed and throbbed inside, and John dialed up touch enough to really feel it and let his own orgasm overtake him.

John woke to the blaring of an alarm he'd set for twenty minutes before their meeting. Rodney was wrapped around him like an octopus. John's ass was somewhat sore, and he could feel where come had dripped out and dried.

"Rodney, we need to take a shower."

"Tired." Rodney mumbled into John's chest. It was only context that let John decipher the next mumble as, "Ran a marathon."

"Yep, but I can't sit through a meeting with either one of us if we don't shower, and I certainly wouldn't ask Carson to, so let's go."

Rodney grumbled and clung to John rather than opening his eyes. But he let John drag him into the shower. John kept to business for once and managed to get them both dry and dressed with almost enough time to stop for food.

They made it to the senior staff meeting only a couple of minutes late with wet hair, muffins and coffee. Beckett and Weir both smiled indulgently and then got down to business. John managed to keep his eyes open through Weir's long report on community morale and the data burst sent back to Earth. Beckett's detailed summary of Ancient medical technologies and standards had John plotting Jumper dives through assorted atmospheres to stay awake. He tuned in again when Beckett faced him and said, "I think we're ready to look after off world teams and start exploring the Pegasus Galaxy a wee bit."

"After what happened yesterday," John rubbed the back of his neck, "I thought we'd focus our efforts on securing the rest of the city."

"Which reminds me," Rodney put in, "I think we need to add a scientist to each team to evaluate and take proper notes on potential hazards and probable uses of rooms like that lab."

"Once the military declares areas safe, we can arrange escorts for civilian follow up."

"Safe? They're like children with guns and grabby hands."

"It was an accident."

"Your XO pushed the release button on a containment device, and hello, the thing in it couldn't be fought with bullets anyway. It's not that my people don't have many other useful matters to attend to. They have to keep this city running, even the parts we haven't explored yet, and identify potential hazards as part of their job, too. But this needs to be done. I'm going to start assigning engineers and other hard scientists to the survey teams. Be glad I'm protecting you from the anthropologists. I've convinced them to hold off until we start forming off world teams. Speaking of which, I'm assuming Sentinels and their Guides will be assigned to off world teams together."

"Whoa, take a breath, Rodney. I appreciate the role the scientists play, but you do not get to say who's assigned to military survey teams, on Atlantis or off."

Rodney turned to Weir. "Could you explain to Colonel Hair for Brains that this is not a military controlled mission?"

Weir nodded and asked, "Colonel, could you explain your concerns about including scientists on the city survey teams?"

"The risk is too high to include civilians on our first pass. My people are sworn to protect them. You need to let us do our jobs."

"And when we form off world teams?" Weir asked.

"For initial exploration, I'd send military teams. In other situations, I could see having some mixed teams."

"That's ridiculous—" Rodney began, but Weir cut him off with an upraised palm.

"In discussions before we left Antarctica, I never heard you mention all military teams. Also, would you exclude yourself from dangerous missions because you have a non-military Guide?"

"Rodney and I agreed to split up when we arrived on Atlantis. I'm not sure the head of science should be going on off world missions at all."

"What?" Rodney shouted. "Carson, check my Sentinel for possession by alien vegetable matter or something. I can't believe I'm hearing this." He turned back to rant at John before Carson could open his mouth. "I've worked with the Stargate Program significantly longer than you have, and I'm just as capable of traveling off world as Samantha Carter."

"She's military," John interjected.

"She's their chief of science. Also, she's on a first contact team with a linguist/anthropologist—So not military!"

"Enough," Weir gazed around the table. "I want to see suggestions from all senior staff on composition of off world teams, both in general and recommending specific individuals. We'll meet again in three days to discuss off world alternatives. For now, we'll try including a scientist with each survey team on Atlantis. Dr. McKay will send a list of suitable personnel to Colonel Sheppard. Copy me on final assignments. Meeting adjourned."

#

"Howzit? Find something good?" Shane slid in beside Brett and their knees bumped.

Brett hadn't expected Shane to visit the anthropology library this morning, so he suspected the shaman was checking up on him. There hadn't been time yet to ask Shane about the out of body experience or the visit to the spirit plane with Gabi, and Brett was torn between that and his latest discovery in the archives.

Shane reached a hand to Brett's knee and rubbed his thumb in what was probably meant as reassurance. Brett's libido kicked in, and he was half hard in seconds. With his physical, metaphysical and academic curiosity all pulling in different directions, Brett lost his words completely.

After a very long silence Shane's eyebrows rose, and he said, "I'm not helping, am I?"

"I don't know which direction this conversation should go."

"You're always trying to get someplace. Think like a river and you can be all the places you're going."

"And I will never get any of it into words."

Shane smiled, gave Brett's knee a final squeeze, and pulled his hand away. "You looked excited about whatever you were working on when I came in."

"Yeah," Brett said, focusing back on his terminal. What they were calling the anthropology library had long tables in the center and enclosed shelves along most of the front and back walls. Light came indirectly through slanted skylights, probably meant to protect artifacts from direct light, but Brett thought it made the room dull compared to the extensive stained glass in much of Atlantis. Also, the shelves and most of the tables were still bare. The Ancients hadn't left anything in the room, and the military patrols wouldn't let the anthropologists join them to collect artifacts yet.

However, each corner of the room had its own study nook with a sort of wrap around desk and database terminal. Brett had spent most of the last week in the front left study nook. Shane sometime worked in the back left nook, when he wasn't working with Gabi or someone else. It was always better when Shane was around, even if they didn't talk much at work. At least Brett knew he could interrupt Shane whenever they were both there, and Shane never seemed to mind. Just having Shane nearby made the dull room seem a little more alive and kept Brett more awake as he plowed through screen after screen of barely organized data.

Today was better because Brett had finally gotten over one huge organizational hurdle. He pointed to the screen. "You see these spots that are marked with fifteen digit codes in green?"

Shane nodded.

"Until this morning, those showed up as blank spaces. I knew something had been deleted in each case, not just from context, but because the gap was larger between words. I found a way to call up a delete code for each one individually. Then Dr. Grodin dropped by and we created a program to automatically fill each gap with the delete code. I'm not sure if the code represents the time of deletion or the command to delete that item, but so far it looks like each code corresponds to a single word or phrase. That means, I can effectively use the code as a word for my research."

Shane hugged Brett with one arm while leaning in closer to the screen. "So these two sentences use the same word, but this one is a different word."

"Yes!"

"And you're going to try to deduce what they mean?"

"Maybe, or maybe one of the actual linguists can tackle more of that. There are some of these I'm already interested in researching. I think I know which code means Sentinel, and just the fact that they deleted it tells us something."

Shane started to fidget foot to foot. "How did you find that so quickly? I am surrounded by brilliance." Shane kissed him on the cheek. "What does it say?"

Now that they were both caught up in the work, it was easier for Brett to keep his body in check despite the provocation. "This part is just about the control chair, saying only Sentinels can use it. But that let me identify the deletion code for Sentinel so I could watch for it elsewhere. In other cases we can possibly identify which codes represent a project title or place name, because they'll primarily occur in just one section of the database. For now, we don't know how to search the entire library for a specific deletion code, but I have one other page where it was very useful to confirm one part was about Sentinels. The rest of the page talks about Sentinels and a couple other deleted terms being the most involved in improving Atlantis, because none of them were interested in ascending. I'm thinking the other two terms," he pointed as he brought up the relevant section on his terminal, "Might refer to Guides or shamans, but it's going to take more research. There are a lot of words we haven't translated yet, even where we have the actual words to work with."

"Will this be part of the graduate work you submit to Sandburg and Jackson? And does this count as anthropology?"

Brett shrugged and brought his arm around Shane's shoulders. "Somehow, figuring out my major or working toward a degree seems a lot less important after rescuing an Ancient city and surviving an attack by an alien energy entity. But yeah, I'll send whatever I come up with in the next databurst as well as sharing with people here."

Shane's arm around Brett's waist tightened, and Brett decided it wasn't too early to take a break. It was crazy how Shane affected him even if they hadn't done much beyond kissing.

"Come out to the balcony with me?" Brett asked.

Shane winked at him and bumped his hip before leading the way outside. Brett took a deep breath and followed.

As soon as the ocean breeze hit his face, Brett relaxed. "I wonder if anyone brought a Frisbee."

"The Marines have footballs," Shane answered.

"How do you know?"

"I was watching them play." His eyes half closed at the memory.

"I thought you were only interested in Gabi and me."

"I only want to be with Gabi and you. A bunch of Marines with their shirts off throwing a football on the dock, of course I want to watch. Should I bring you along next time?"

Shane rolled his head back and closed his eyes. The next thing he knew Shane was pressed against his front, whispering into his ear. "Are you imagining what I saw or are you thinking about unpleasant things again?"

Brett shivered and pulled Shane into a long kiss. They hadn't kissed before while pressed so close together. As he traced his tongue along Shane's, Brett could feel Shane's erection growing right beside his own. Even with all their clothes still on, Brett was pretty sure he could come if he let himself rock his hips for a little while. Instead, he stayed still and let Shane take over the kiss. While Shane's tongue pressed back eagerly into Brett's mouth, Shane didn't press any further with the rest of his body. Brett drifted, suspended. It was too good to pull away, but he was so hard that the crease of his fly hurt where it pressed. His whole body wanted Shane so much he ached with it. Yet he'd gladly ache like that all day if Shane wanted to keep kissing and pressing against him that way.

Finally Shane pulled back. They both panted, a few inches apart on the balcony.

"Is that too much? Do you mind?" Shane asked.

Shane pulled himself together enough to say, "Anything you want."

"Not much longer." Shane brushed the back of his hand against Brett's.

Brett moaned deep in his throat and kept his eyes closed. The wind from the sea was his only chance of cooling down.

"Does it feel different, after yesterday?" Shane asked.

That brought Brett back to reality somewhat abruptly, even if his pants were still uncomfortable. "Huh? Make things different with you? Should it?"

"I can feel your connection to Gabi even more now."

"I didn't know you could feel things like that."

"Only with you." Shane looked at his feet, one of them kicking idly in and out of the balcony railing. "Because I'm connected to you and you to her and all of our animals to each other."

Brett noticed right away that Shane hadn't mentioned his own connection to Gabi. For the first time, it occurred to Brett that Gabi might not have ever licked or tasted Shane, but he wasn't sure if all the meditation they did made that unnecessary. "Are you two not bonding until your first kiss?"

Shane shrugged, "Perhaps."

"But you can feel her bond to me when we kiss?"

"I can feel her bond with you whenever I concentrate on either one of you." Shane's eyes were wide and the pupils contracted. Suddenly he seemed very far away, and Brett wanted him back.

"She said yesterday that you would have saved me if she hadn't."

Shane shook his head, looking down. "I couldn't have, not now, maybe not ever."

"Why?"

"The Sentinel-Guide bond is stronger than what we have. I might pick up aspects of it over time. I already picked up the frequency for charging ZPMs from her through our meditation together, and I could recreate it myself when we were rushed into charging the ZPMs here. But not all Sentinels could have done what she did for a Guide. Each bond is different, and what the three of us are building is different again."

"The part in the Ancient database that I showed you. If the two similar words translated as Guide and shaman, would one be a subset of the other?"

Brett could see Shane straighten up as he thought. Then he relaxed and turned sideways, meeting Brett's eyes as he said, "The way I was taught, I suppose Guides could be a subset of shamans, as we are both on the shamanic path. But some tribes would not define it that way, and some tribes don't have separate words for Guide and shaman. What it means to be a shaman cannot even be agreed upon within the single country of South Africa. I cannot guess what the Ancients knew or believed."

"The Ancients said these people didn't want to ascend. Would the shaman's path as you understand it lead toward or away from ascension?"

Shane smiled, but in a detached way that didn't reach his eyes. "I believe the path of the shaman is different for each person. It may lead to better understanding of humanity or nature or spirit, but I've never heard of it leading to existence as an energy being. That said, there are those who believe powerful shamans may act as spirit animals and travel the same way our spirit animals do. It seems possible some who the Ancients said did not wish to ascend were already straddling two planes of existence."

"If you can see my bond to Gabi, can you see our paths, whether we stay together, why there are three of us?"

Shane gave him a very serious look and then stepped back and laughed. After a while Brett laughed too.

When they finally calmed Shane said, "Is there any answer you could imagine that would have satisfied your curiosity?"

"Nah, I was expecting some sort of river analogy or something, like we're three tributaries that come together in one river and what we are or will become is part of how the water flows together."

Shane smiled for real and kissed Brett on the cheek. "I should let you answer your own questions more often. Now are we going back to work or for a snack?"

"Let's hit the mess. I have more to tell you about yesterday, and food might keep us from getting distracted in other ways." Shane groped his ass as they left the balcony, and Brett prepared himself for the challenge.

#

Rodney spent the morning in his lab, what he'd officially dubbed the primary physics lab. He consulted with the annoying Czech who seemed to know everybody's business to put together a list of engineers and other physical scientists who could be useful in surveying the city. Rodney put his own name at the top of the list as a matter of principle, because he knew the most about Ancient technologies and was the smartest person (so far identified) in two galaxies.

It didn't bother Rodney at all when he didn't see John at lunch. He wasn't quite ready to forgive him for going all high and mighty military during the meeting. But when John didn't respond to his radio call at dinnertime, Rodney started to grow annoyed again.

Ten minutes later Rodney hacked in to check John's schedule online. The only activity listed had been their morning senior staff meeting. So Rodney sent John a dinner meeting invite from his computer with the title "Survey Team Planning Meeting." Then he accepted on John's behalf from where he'd hacked in to John's account.

Half an hour later he radioed John on the senior staff channel. "Sheppard, you're late for our Survey Team Planning Meeting. Check your calendar."

Two minutes later John appeared in the doorway of the small meeting room where Rodney had brought their dinner trays. "I'm thinking I'll switch to a paper desk calendar."

"Because you imagine it would challenge me to break into your office?"

"The city likes me."

"The city likes your gene. I like you. Do you really want to fight?"

John sat down and stabbed hard at a small potato. "It's different now that I'm in charge."

"You're not in charge. Weir is."

"If I send scientists out with the military, I will be the one giving the orders. Weir may have oversight, but in the field I'm in command. What if I gave an order that got one of your staff killed?"

"That almost happened yesterday when the entity your XO released nearly killed cheetah boy." Rodney shoveled food into his mouth while he watched John nibble at his potato.

John put his fork down. "I know. I watched those kids in the infirmary while I stood by your bed."

Rodney filed that piece of data to a rapidly growing file in his head. "See, that's what happens when you don't put them on missions."

"What?"

"I asked the chief anthropologist, a title with no more prestige than supreme mugwump I assure you. She said the kid was bored working in the library all week and rushed off to be with his Sentinel and shaman the moment they were assigned on the general science channel. Your soldiers may touch things they aren't supposed to, but there's no telling the trouble scientists might create if you keep them under wraps for too long."

"You have a very strange mind, and don't think I missed that Harry Potter reference."

Rodney counted it a temporary win as John's shoulders relaxed and he didn't argue further against science staff joining city survey teams. "Takes one to know one. Eat your dinner, or I won't share dessert."

#

John cut up his Salisbury steak wondering if he would survive two weeks as military commander of Atlantis. "Did you put your name at the top of the list for survey teams because you really want to go or because you wanted to make a point?"

His Guide gleefully stacked meat and potatoes high on his fork while answering. "Both. You could try having me on your team or not, but when we go off world, I'm going to argue for placing Sentinels and Guides together."

"But—"

"Two words: sea screechers."

John remembered the horrible sounds and vibrations that had literally brought him to his knees as he stumbled to find his Guide on their first day in Atlantis. Keeping his face as relaxed as possible he said, "They prefer to be called Flagisallus."

"You know that not only can I take care of myself, but sometimes it's my job to take care of you?"

"That's what I'm afraid of." John remembered his lover buried within a dark wrongness and then lying flat on the gate room floor. He remembered not being able to see, hear, scent, taste, or touch his Guide amidst a blackness he couldn't fight. He set down his fork.

Rodney sighed and kicked John under that table. "Some days it's going to suck whether you keep me with you or push me away. I'm calling dibs on the next freak out. For now, we're going to finish assigning survey teams, copy Weir, and eat pudding."

Rodney set two cups of chocolate pudding on the table and smiled at John. His Guide's voice rolled through his head as bright blue eyes with happy wrinkles at the corners drew him in. John tried not to smile stupidly back but was sure he failed when Rodney's smile grew wider and more off kilter.

#

Gabi had her own office in a corner of the ZPM room. Office might be a bit of an overstatement, but she'd corralled a table, chair, and bookshelf into one corner. Then she'd filled the shelves with every power source and power monitoring device she could get her hands on. She'd adapted the programming and some sensors from her master's project (microbots using vibrating filaments to detect anomalies underground) to create a new vibration and energy sensor. She was currently using it to characterize the energy signatures from the alien entity attacks on the water processing power station, the naquadah generator it followed through the wormhole, and Brett.

What she hadn't told anyone yet was that the monitoring device she and Shane had set up by their assigned naquadah generator had recorded a second event after the attack on Brett. Gabi suspected it was the moment her aardvark merged with Brett's cheetah, but the readings were hard to interpret. It wasn't even clear if energy was created or transmitted or transformed, and the city logs didn't show anything with that timestamp. Gabi separated out vibrational frequencies in the same way she'd found the rhythm to charge a ZPM back in Antarctica. Her attention was focused on her simulations when Colonel Sheppard entered the ZPM room and stopped to lean against Gabi's table.

"What's this?" the Colonel asked as he poked at her makeshift vibrational energy sensor.

"Delicate! Please don't touch."

He pulled his hand back, and Gabi realized she'd just yelled at Atlantis' military commander. "Sorry."

Sheppard snorted a half laugh. "No problem. You're still miles more polite than McKay. Speaking of which, he says you're our resident expert on charging Ancient devices."

Gabi leaned back in her chair and raised her eyebrows in challenge. "I have trouble imagining Dr. McKay saying any such thing."

The Colonel rubbed the back of his neck, and Gabi could hear his heartbeat accelerate. She turned her hearing down a notch in an effort to respect his privacy. Then she turned her sense of smell down as well, because both he and McKay pretty much always smelled like sex.

"Okay, he might have said you were the only one who had time to mess with such things, but in McKay speak that implies you know enough to be useful." Sheppard pulled the dead personal shield out of his pocket. "I was hoping to find a way to recharge this."

Gabi bounced up and reached for it, seeing instantly how it would help her other research if she could get any readings at all. But the Colonel pulled his hand back, stroking his thumb over the smooth green crystal. Watching the careful touch made Gabi long for Brett and Shane, and she wondered what sensory information kept Sheppard clutching the device.

"Colonel, can you still smell Dr. McKay on the personal shield?"

Sheppard raised the device to his face and sniffed but shook his head.

"Can you sense any sort of vibration from it?"

The man stopped stroking and let his thumb hover just above the center of the green crystal. He then removed his thumb and held the object flat on the palm of his hand.

When he remained still for over two minutes, Gabi started to worry he had zoned.

"Colonel? Are you okay?" When he didn't answer she stood and slapped her hand against the table as she leaned into his personal space. "Colonel, can you hear me?"

Sheppard shook his head, "I didn't zone, did I?"

"Were you sensing vibrations from the shield generator?"

"Yeah, maybe, does each Guide have a distinctive vibration?"

Gabi gave him a hard look. In that moment it was easy to forget the man was older than her and military and higher status in pretty much every way. He was human and a Sentinel and in some ways like her. Also, she saw why he clicked with McKay. "That may be a very important question. Can you leave the personal shield with me for a while?"

She watched as Sheppard pressed the shield into her desk before letting go.

#

For the first off world trip through the Atlantis gate, the senior staff selected a planet listed as having an Ancient outpost and open-minded inhabitants. Rodney had his doubts about basing decisions on ten thousand year old data, but he was determined to be on his best behavior. John had conceded to bringing both Rodney and the chief anthropologist on their first off world mission. He'd also brought five additional military with really big guns, but Rodney had no problem with bringing extra minions to do any grunt work that might be required.

They'd sent a MALP ahead to determine the lay of the land (flat), the quality of the air (better than Earth), and the time of day (they waited for morning). Now Rodney stood beside John in a clearing in front of a Pegasus stargate. Rodney checked that the DHD was functional by calling back to tell Weir they'd arrived safely. He scanned using a life signs detector. While he already objected to the name, after all, it could detect other energy signals as well as life signs, Rodney thought it might be his favorite Ancient device so far that responded as well to Guides as to Sentinels. He looked forward to seeing how far he could customize the programming. For the time being he pointed their first off world team to where the LSD (stupid TLA, too) detected several dozen people.

"Okay," John said, "There appears to be a path into the woods headed that way. Why don't you tuck the technology away in your tac vest until we know what we're dealing with?"

"I'm sure they'll be impressed enough with your guns," Rodney quipped.

"Don't aim at anyone unless they're aiming at us," John said to the rest. Then he assigned positions putting himself in front and Rodney in the middle.

It was just as well no one was too trigger happy as the first aliens they met were a couple of rough housing boys who threw themselves into the middle of the path. Both boys wore clothes made of leather, fur, and roughly woven cloth. To Rodney it looked medieval, but he held out hope for the Ancient outpost.

The taller of the two boys shushed his friend who was wearing an ugly mask and then said, "You here to trade?"

"Sure," John said. "Do you know who we should talk to?"

"Follow me. My name's Jinto. This is Wex."

"I'm John Sheppard. Quite the mask you've got there, Wex. What's that supposed to be?"

Wex pulled off his mask as they walked. "It's supposed to be a Wraith."

"A what?"

"Don't you have Wraith where you come from?"

"Not unless we call them something different."

"Huh, can we go to your world?"

"I'm not going back anytime soon."

At that point they reached a tent city. Most of the tents were made of hides and sticks as Rodney expected, but some had metal posts or awnings, perhaps from trade with less primitive societies.

Jinto called out as they arrived and a tall man and smaller woman came out to meet them. The man introduced himself as Halling before chivying the two boys off to play. The woman stepped forward with an air of authority and pronounced herself "Teyla Emmagan, Daughter of Tagan."

"Pleased to meet you," John said with a roguish half smile. Rodney would have sworn he was flirting if he didn't know better. "I'm Colonel John Sheppard. This is Major Evan Lorne, Dr. Rodney McKay, Lieutenant Aiden Ford, Dr. Annette Ng…" and he listed thee sergeants that Rodney didn't know and didn't care to remember.

"Jinto says you come to trade, but we do not make a practice of trading with strangers."

Then John's XO, whatever his name was, stepped forward and said, "I'd be happy to just get to know you for now. I like painting and things that fly, how about you?"

Both John and Teyla looked at him with some curiosity. Then Teyla said, "There is something familiar about you. Is it possible I've met you or your relatives before?"

"I come from a large family, but they don't travel much." He stepped in closer to Teyla, and she leaned her head forward. He angled his head to meet hers.

John cleared his throat. When his XO didn't move, John said, "Major Lorne, I'm glad you're making new friends, but maybe we should give everyone else a chance."

Lorne stiffened at the suggestion. Then Rodney heard him breathe deeply through his nose. "Oh, um, Colonel Sheppard," Rodney said, trying to keep it professional, "Could I have a word with you and Dr. what's her name, the anthropologist?"

"Can't it wait McKay?"

"Well, not really." He turned to the Teyla person who still had her forehead touching Lorne's and didn't seem to mind, "Could you excuse us for just one minute?"

John glared at Rodney but followed him and Dr. Ng to a clear spot between their group and the nearest tent. McKay whispered, "He said he had inconclusive ATA test results and didn't test as a Sentinel, but he's sniffing her the way you sniffed me when we first met. What if she's his Guide and his senses are only activating because he found her?" He looked to the anthropologist, "How do we deal with this in a first contact situation?"

To her credit, Dr. Ng only cringed a little before turning to ask John, "Is there anything you can sense to confirm this?"

John took hold of Rodney's arm, closed his eyes and sniffed over his shoulder. Then he stood very still as if he was listening for something. "I don't know much about this, but they both smell aroused and their heartbeats are perfectly synchronized."

"I think it might be best if I had a candid talk with the happy couple," Dr Ng smiled.

"Wait," Rodney said, "Much as I like to be right and I usually am, I've read enough reports of wacky herbs and mind control devices encountered by SGC that I don't think we should jump to conclusions."

"Yes, Dr. McKay, I study those reports professionally." With that the small, seemingly shy anthropologist made her way to stand beside Lorne and Teyla. "I wonder if I might be of assistance to you both by explaining something you might otherwise not consider?"

Teyla pulled back a bit to meet the other woman's gaze. Lorne didn't pull back, but he didn't lean farther forward. Instead he sniffed again in Teyla's direction.

"Perhaps the three of us could speak someplace just a little bit more private? Or if you prefer we could speak here. Your choice."

Teyla raised an eyebrow. "I am interested. Perhaps you both should join me for tea. I'm sure Halling will find someone to entertain the rest of your group for a few minutes." Teyla gave a nod toward some older children who'd been idling nearby. Two of them ran off while Lorne and Ng followed Teyla into a nearby tent.

Only a few minutes had passed and Halling had barely seated the larger group for tea in another tent when Dr. Ng peeked in the door and beckoned John and Rodney out.

"Teyla says there are paintings on the walls in the 'Village of the Ancestors' that may relate to what we call Sentinels and Guides. She says only those who can sense the Wraith are allowed to go there, but she's willing to take both of you as well as Lorne, because she believes that our Sentinels and Guides will be able to sense the Wraith as she can."

"So you think she's a Guide?" John asked.

"I think she's going to be Lorne's Guide. And since I can't go to see the pictures, I want you to take this camera and see if she'll let you take photos. Ask first. We don't want to offend them." Rodney shoved the camera she gave them into a pocket opposite the life signs detector.

"This is seriously not covered under fraternizing with the locals," John said. "Okay, I'll give instructions to the rest of the team. I expect you to stay with them, Dr. Ng. Lieutenant Ford will be in charge. You may offer advice, but he makes the decisions. Understood?"

#

Half an hour later, John found himself looking at pictures of space ships, Wraith culling beams, and people who stood beside each other holding hands, facing off with the Wraith. His XO had been holding the alien leader Teyla's hand ever since John and Rodney had joined them.

"What makes you think these people are Sentinels and Guides?" John asked.

"Do you mind if I take photos?" Rodney asked from Teyla's other side.

"What are photos?" Teyla asked.

Rodney pulled out the camera. "The light that hits our eyes and allows us to see can also pass into the camera and be stored as digital information to be reconstructed later."

Lorne said, "This machine can save little images inside to help us remember what we've seen."

"Will it take anything away from the pictures here?" Teyla asked.

"No. It's picking up the same reflected light as our eyes." Rodney was already fiddling the lens cap off, which distracted him from saying something more insulting.

"That should be fine," Teyla said and smiled softly at Lorne before answering John's previous question. "While some of my ancestors could sense the Wraith's communications and were less affected by the shadows they project, there are stories of others who could smell the Wraith and defend against them. In the stories, the two often become partners to protect their people against the Wraith."

"We have some people," John said, "Anthropologists like Dr. Ng, who would love to record your stories."

"Record?" Teyla asked.

"Like photos but with sound."

"Right," Teyla said, "We would be happy to share stories with you."

Lorne squeezed her hand. His eyes were wide and all the usual tension had left his face. That and the arousal John couldn't help but smell in such a confined space pressed John's limits for how much he wanted to know about his XO.

"Since you're all open minded about technology and all," Rodney said in Teyla's vague direction, "You wouldn't mind if I used another machine to check out life signs and energy reading in this Village of the Ancestors, would you?"

"It also won't alter or damage anything?"

"No," Rodney was already switching on the life sign detector.

Something shiny caught John's eyes and he bent to pick it up. "What's this?"

Teyla's eyes opened wider. "That was my necklace. I lost it here when I was still a young girl."

"Um, wait a sec. Can I see that for a minute?"

"Rodneeey…" John said in a warning tone, but Teyla handed the necklace to Rodney without further question.

"This necklace is emitting a signal. It's not quite in line with Ancient frequencies, and my device doesn't seem to trust it," Rodney passed the necklace back to John. "Can you sense anything?"

"But it's just a necklace," Teyla said. Her eyebrows sloped down in a sad way, but her voice was as accepting as before.

"It might not have activated until the Colonel touched it." Rodney watched his Sentinel study the necklace and reached out a hand to ground him.

"Yes, there's a sound or vibration or something," John said. "Can we turn it off without destroying the necklace?"

"I didn't bring many tools," Rodney said as he started searching his pockets.

"You think it is dangerous?" Teyla asked.

"Possibly," John said.

"I will understand if you need to destroy it. I have other necklaces now, and I would not endanger anyone for a trinket."

Rodney looked to John for confirmation before prying the casing open and smashing the crystal inside. "If you want, I could find someone to put the outsides back together. It would look like it did before."

"I think it is better to leave it here," Teyla said. Her heart still beat in time with Lorne's, but the set of her shoulders and other muscles tensed. "Now we should go back."

As they started to walk through the darkening woods John asked, "How do you see this working out with you and Lorne?"

Teyla glanced at him sideways. "Your people already have the two of you to protect them. It would seem best if Lorne stayed with my people. Now that we are known to each other, I'm sure we could come to some favorable agreement."

"I see," John said, wondering if he could push this negotiation off to Weir as the diplomatic part of the operation.

Rodney started to laugh, but at that point new life signs showed up on his LSD. "We have company."

"Wraith!" Teyla said and started running with Lorne in tow.

John grabbed McKay's arm and pulled him along. "I hear the gate and loud flying ships." John hit his radio, "Ford, incoming spaceships, possibly Wraith. Take cover and defend yourselves and all civilians."

As they ran Teyla said, "Do not trust your eyes. The stories imply Sentinels should trust in smell and Guides may sense the Wraith and their communications more directly. These will probably stay in their ships, so we must avoid the beams of light they use to cull their prey."

Rodney was clearly too busy trying to keep his feet under him to worry about phantoms or where John was steering him. "Why does everything in this galaxy want to starve me or eat me?"

John squeezed his arm as he sniffed the air around them.

Tapping his radio again John said, "Aim at the spaceships. Targets on the ground are probably illusions, and we don't want to risk hitting civilians. Avoid beams of light from the ships at all costs."

They were almost back to the village when a culling beam caught Teyla and Lorne. John shoved Rodney to the side and landed on top of him. Rodney grunted but let himself be yanked up to keep running without complaint.

The image of Teyla and Lorne disappearing in a beam of light was burned on John's retina.

When they regrouped in Teyla's village after the last Wraith ship departed, they found that four Athosians as well as Ford and Ng had also been culled. The Athosians' village was rubble and smoke. The boy, Jinto, ran to John shouting, "They took my father."

"I photographed the symbols on the DHD, sir," one of the Marines reported.

John nodded to the Marine and caught the boy around the shoulders as he told the survivors in the flattened village, "You can come with us. We have room and will try to rescue all our people."

"No one has ever been rescued after a culling," one of the villagers said.

"I have to try." Everyone followed John through the gate.

#

Rodney did not appreciate being dragged down the hall by his overprotective Sentinel. He had no idea why John kept arguing with him in senior staff meetings. Being a Sentinel was not enough to excuse John's over-protective, domineering attitude. And the ZPM room seemed like an odd choice for either an argument or a make out session. It was also an odd place for a teenage girl to have set up shelves and a work station.

"What kind of pea-brained incompetent sets up housekeeping in the far corner of the central power room?" Rodney stomped across the room with his hands on his hips and a scowl on his face.

Rather than cowering Gabi swept around her table and rushed to hand John some small item from her desk. "I'm ninety percent sure we can make this work, but you have to let me record energy frequencies as the two of you charge it."

John smiled and reached out his hand to take whatever Gabi was handing him. Then Gabi grabbed McKay's hand without asking and clasped it around John's. The object between their hands was hard and awkwardly large to be held that way. He saw the edge of green crystal traced in metal.

"Hey, that's my personal shield!" He started to pull his hand away and John pressed their hands back together.

"Yes, and I've figured out how to recharge it. Just let me set my vibration and energy monitor." She fussed with wires that connected some cheap Earth technology to one of the ancient energy monitors they'd set up while trying to track and trap the alien entity. Then she pulled a cell phone from her pocket and pressed it into a speaker system that brought up a sound like static. "This should be much easier than charging a ZPM, but it's the same concept. Colonel Sheppard can find the rhythm of the frequencies I've separated out. They're specific to the shield generating device. Then you can skip any pretence of meditating and try to just focus on each other. I'd suggest you kiss."

"What? Is this some kind of a teenage prank? If you think you fooled me with that line about Shane kissing Brett to focus energy on the ZPMs here, well, that's not what passes for work in my science department. I don't know what other advisors have let you get away with, but if you think you're going to run your own lab here and talk my Sentinel into all sorts of—"

"My advisor was the one who told me to go find a lab of my own for my silly energy experiments and not bother him unless I discovered something substantial." Rodney distantly remembered saying something to that effect. "And your Sentinel came to me about recharging the Ancient shield, which I've figured out how to do. Now kiss!"

"There is no way—"

"Rodney," John interrupted, "Do you remember when Daniel had us kiss so that you could see the mongoose and other spirit animals back in Antarctica? Would it really hurt to kiss to test her theory?"

John didn't give him time to answer. The man just leaned in and kissed him.

Rodney tried to keep it PDA appropriate. As if kissing in front of Daniel Jackson hadn't been bad enough, kissing in front of his advisee and youngest minion was definitely outside his comfort zone. But John licked his way into Rodney's mouth, and every nerve in Rodney's body was programmed to respond to that. John pulled their bodies closer together. His tongue thrust in an obscene way before tracing behind Rodney's teeth to where it melted Rodney's brain. And Rodney's knees. It was a good thing John was holding him tight, or Rodney might have ended up sitting on the floor.

Instead, he found himself loose and reluctant to let go when John pulled back. "It worked!"

Rodney looked into John's smiling face and managed to say, "Mmmm."

"Did you get any useful readings?" John asked, his face turned toward Gabi as his thumb rubbed Rodney's back in a calming way that pulled him back from the edge.

Gabi's voice was muffled as if she was talking to her equipment rather than John. "I think so. I'll need time to analyze the data. But this reading for you and McKay is clearly distinct from what Shane and Brett and I produced to charge the ZPMs. Both of those and the Jumper readings form a cluster which is different from any of the reading from Ancient devices only Sentinels can activate and very different from the readings involving the energy sucking entity. I wish we had readings from each Sentinel and Guide before, during, and after bonding. Then we could better test your suggestion that each Guide has a distinct vibrational pattern or frequency distribution."

"Are you talking science with my minion?" Rodney asked as he pulled himself together and took a step back from his Sentinel.

"Can you tell me," Gabi was still clearly addressing John as both of them ignored Rodney's complaint, "what you just did with McKay, did you sense some part of that energy when you were holding the depleted shield? Do you perceive anything similar when you focus on the ZPMs? What about when you and McKay first bonded?"

"Well, something about the shield led me to ask you about energy, and the ZPMs…" John turned toward the ZPMs and tilted his head. Then he focused on the Ancient shield generator still in his hand. "Maybe, yes, I think I can tell what part has the same pattern you played on the speakers and what might be specific to McKay and me. As far as bonding—"

"No, no, no." Rodney waved his arms because his feet couldn't pace fast enough. "This is not a ZedPM thing, not even a science thing. This is not something you're going to discuss with my Sentinel. If you must have that talk, I'll tell Miko to handle it."

With that, he dragged John out of the room much the way John had dragged him in.

#

The next day, while Dr. McKay and the Colonel were off on what sounded like a terrifying rescue mission and everyone left on Atlantis was anxious and not accomplishing much, Dr. Kusanagi found Gabi as she was leaving the mess after lunch.

"Dr. McKay has asked me to have a talk with you. If you have some time?"

"What?" Gabi looked the soft spoken computer scientist up and down. Her hair was pulled back tight. Her glasses were enormous. But her science uniform fit surprisingly well, and Gabi wondered if she'd altered it herself. The tan and lace oxfords on her feet were what gave her away though. This was a woman who cared about and noticed more than people realized. "Did McKay order you to talk to me about bonding energy or something else?"

"McKay may have mentioned your curiosity about bonding energy when he suggested we talk. What I would choose to talk to you about will depend on your curiosity and my expertise. What Dr. McKay knows or not will have little to do with it."

"So you want to talk to me?"

"Yes, would now be a good time?" Kusanagi smiled, and somehow her tiny bow of a mouth stretched to balance her enormous eyes perfectly.

"Sure."

"Good. Let me show you my room."

Dr. Kusanagi's room was full of pillows, candles, and scarves. It was part of a suite that they entered through a sitting room. The sitting room had seemed much more functional and true to Ancient aesthetics. Her bedroom should have seemed extremely feminine with all the candles and scarves, but instead Gabi found it ambiguous and intriguing. As with Dr. Kusanagi's shoes, there seemed to be added meaning in the details. The bed was covered in a shiny black embroidered comforter and a pole rose from each corner as if to hold a canopy. Instead of a canopy the poles held long translucent scarves in dark or vibrant colors. Deep blue and smoky gray scarves dangled from a single post. Shiny black lengths stretched from one corner to another. What appeared to be a single strip of emerald silk looped around all four poles with enough extra to let it bow down on each side in graceful arcs. As if there weren't enough scarves or cloth draped from the four tall bedposts, still more hung from loops and hooks that extruded from the walls in what might have been convenient places, but Gabi didn't want to think what they'd be convenient for.

A smell of leather beckoned from behind the closed closet door, teasing Gabi into increasing her smell perception. Gabi tried to connect the smell to the doctor's stylish leather and lace oxfords or other footwear, but some of it didn't smell like shoes. Shoes smelled like feet, and some of the leather smelled riper than that, like sweat or musk. While Dr. Kusanagi clearly kept her quarters clean and Gabi would have bet the bed was freshly made with clean linens, underlying scents of the Guide who lived there and of sex and Dr. Beckett, her Sentinel, permeated the room. Gabi dialed her sense of smell down low and was glad her skin didn't show a blush.

"Sit," Kusanagi said and she patted the edge of the bed across from herself. "I saw you studying the scarves. Do you know if you like to be tied up or to tie your partners?"

Gabi sat on the slippery satin bedcovering despite wanting to run away from this conversation. "No, I wouldn't like either."

"Are you sure? Even if your shaman wanted to be tied, wanted to give over all control to you?"

Gabi shuddered, her skin wanting to twist inside out to hide itself at the thought. "You know, we're all taking it very slowly. But…" Gabi had previously studied sex as an outsider, mostly to protect herself from misunderstandings. She hadn't been at all prepared for Kusanagi's question. "Do you think that's something he wants?"

Dr. Kusanagi tucked her chin down and stared at Gabi until she met the woman's determined gaze. "I'll leave it up to you and him to figure out what he wants, but do you know what you want?"

Gabi shrugged. "I really just wanted to learn about bonding—Sentinel and Guide bonding— how other people experienced it and if there seemed to be an energy component to it."

Kusanagi bit her lips and blinked wide eyed behind her glasses. "I think you want to learn about much more than that. But I will answer your questions first. Do you want anything to drink? Are you comfortable?"

"I'm fine. Please, go ahead." Gabi wanted to record the conversation for her research but decided not to ask, unsure of where else their talk might go. Instead, she focused her mind to remember every detail.

"The day I met Carson his spirit animal and mine were visibly affectionate with each other. As soon as I had him to myself, I wanted to know him in every way. He wanted to catalog every part of me with his senses. I was also very attracted to him and could tell as I held his hand to my chest that his heart beat in sync with mine. He made it clear that he was happy to do whatever I wanted, but I knew right away that I needed to take charge in most matters between us."

Kusanagi leaned forward with her neck extended and shoulders shifted regally back. "I had heard stories about imprinting and bonding. Those may have influenced me, but in the moment it seemed like a biological or spiritual imperative led my Sentinel to first learn my scent and heartbeat, then to see, touch, and finally taste every inch of me. I guided him through it and kept his focus from narrowing too much. I guess taste was the last sense to imprint, because the moment I brought his mouth to mine, it did seem as if some sort of energy passed through us both. I felt it again when I took him inside myself. Sometimes when we make love, when we are both fully present in the moment, I feel some echo of that."

"Is that energy distinct? Is there something about Dr. Beckett or about the two of you together that you could identify with a unique energy signature or specific frequency distribution?"

Kusanagi smiled and shrugged her shoulders, slumping back into the poor posture of a scientist rather than the fiery woman she had seemed a moment before. "I would be willing to set up energy monitoring equipment in my room and try to record a suitable moment, assuming your equipment would operate here without oversight. My Sentinel is a very private person and would have trouble focusing with an observer."

"But you don't think he'd mind?"

"I'd ask him before giving you the reading. Are you satisfied?"

"Yes, thank you very much." Gabi moved to slide off the bed and excuse herself, but Kusanagi shook her head and pointed for Gabi to stay seated where she was.

"You say you're taking it slow, but it helps to be honest about what you want. You seem to know a fair amount about sex, but you react as if you either fear it or do not expect to enjoy it. Do you know what it means to be asexual?"

Gabi took a deep breath and forced herself to stay put. "For a while I thought I might be, but I think I just don't do casual. I don't like casual touch either, for reasons I'm still sorting out, and I think my sexuality is mostly about touch."

Kusanagi nodded as if Gabi's answer didn't surprise her a bit. Gabi hadn't expected anyone to get it that fast. Then again, if anyone was going to sit her down for "the talk" and flat out ask if she might be asexual, Kusanagi was at least an interesting adult role model to discuss things with.

"You already like to touch and be touched with both your Guides?"

"Yes."

"Do you want to lick or be licked?"

Gabi nodded, unable to open her mouth.

"Bite? Scratch?"

"No."

"Put your fingers or something else inside them? Do you know what pegging is?"

"That could be okay, but there's a lot of unknowns." Gabi didn't think "the talk" was usually so specific, but she'd known Kusanagi could be direct and detail oriented. That worked well for getting things done.

"Have something inside you?"

"Eventually?"

"Dress up? Anything you'd like to see? Would you like to watch them making out?"

"Like I can avoid it."

"But do you want to? Just for yourself, do you like watching?"

"I don't know. It isn't exactly the watching, but the wanting. It can be frustrating."

"So you react sexually to seeing them or thinking about being with them?"

"More than to anyone before."

"You could touch yourself while you watch them."

"I don't know if I want to."

"What do you want?" Kusanagi tilted her head but didn't look away.

"I think I want to have some kind of sex with Shane, eventually. Brett really isn't into girls."

"What about the three of you together?"

"I don't know."

"What do you feel?"

"Both." Gabi ducked her head and closed her eyes. "I get turned on around them. I mean, you know how it is for a Sentinel. I can smell their arousal. Then I can smell my own sometimes. But I also feel a little sick and like I should leave." Right now she felt sick and like she should leave, but Kusanagi hadn't asked about that.

"Why?"

"Because I'm not sure they want me there. And I'm not sure I want to do the things they might want if I'm there."

"Gabi, look at me."

Gabi looked. Kusanagi's eyes were as wide open as she'd ever seen them, and she was focused on Gabi the way only Shane or Brett ever had before.

"Whatever frightened you in the past, put it to one side for now. You don't have to do anything. I'm not going to tell anyone. Nothing you can say here is wrong. Just tell me and yourself as clearly as you can what you want or don't want."

Something in Kusanagi's open expression, or the way she asked like they were setting up a science experiment, let Gabi put into words more than she ever had before. "I might want to kiss Shane already. I don't want to feel dependent though. I want to feel safe. I want to know all the time that everyone involved wants whatever is happening. Then maybe I want to be touched a lot, in any way that doesn't hurt. I really don't like being hurt. I know some people like that, but even getting hurt a little, like a scratch, makes me want to stop touching, but I know that's not fair to the other person."

"Good!" Kusanagi grabbed Gabi's hands, squeezed them and held on. Her hands were tiny compared to Gabi's, tiny compared to Brett's or Shane's. The touch gave Gabi something to focus on, to literally hold on to. "And to make sure you realize, you can create a dial separate from touch to manage pain. I'm not saying you should need such abilities in an intimate setting, but it might help to know you can control that yourself."

Gabi blinked and wondered how she hadn't thought of that. Blair had even alluded to such a mechanism before, but Gabi had fine tuned vibration control and never thought to make a dial to isolate pain.

"For now, don't worry about unintended mistakes or fairness or what anyone else wants. If you could build a robot lover, what would it do?"

"I don't think I'd like that."

"Have you used a vibrator?"

"I like my fingers better." Gabi blinked and wrinkled her nose. That little piece of information she'd never thought she'd share felt strangely more personal than all the rest.

"What do you like to do to yourself?" Kusanagi's voice and heart rate didn't betray any discomfort with the topic. Her hands on Gabi's were dry and warm.

"Lately I just want to not be frustrated. I want to get off." It sounded crude even to Gabi's ears. "Before I had Brett and Shane around, I didn't usually care about that so much."

Miko frowned but didn't pull away. "Gabi, has anyone else ever given you an orgasm you didn't regret?"

Gabi shook her head.

"Do you believe it's possible?"

Gabi nodded.

"Is that something you want?"

"Of course! I want it to be good and safe and perfect." As she said the words, Gabi pictured Brett and Shane together. "But I'm not sure that's realistic for me."

Miko still held Gabi's hands. Her thumbs were stroking along the backs, which Gabi liked until she noticed. Then suddenly she wanted to pull away. Miko must have felt her tension, because she gave a quick squeeze and released Gabi.

"Do you ever imagine yourself having good sex with someone else?"

Gabi stroked the backs of her freed hands across the smooth black bedspread. "Sometimes."

"What do you imagine?"

"Lots of touch. Wanting more. Both of us reaching orgasm."

"Who takes the lead?"

"He does."

"Do you not want to take the lead or is it just not something you've tried before?"

"I've never taken the lead for anything like that, and I don't think I want to either."

Lines gathered beside Kusanagi's eyes, and Gabi thought for the first time that Kusanagi might protest Gabi's answer. Instead the scientist asked, "Do you always imagine your partner as a he?"

Gabi couldn't help smiling. "Since Shane showed up."

"Is it always Shane?"

"Sometimes Brett is there, to be with Shane also, not with me."

"So you imagine him making love to Shane and Shane making love to you?"

Gabi nodded. "And sometimes I imagine both of us doing stuff to Shane."

"Does Shane tell you what he wants?"

"I just figure it out."

"So then you're taking the lead?"

Gabi would have been annoyed at how Kusanagi looped back to that, except she thought Kusanagi had a point. She wasn't ready to admit it though. "Not really. I just follow what I think he wants."

"What about what you want?"

"When I imagine it, it just works out." When forced to say that aloud, Gabi knew it sounded wrong. She wrapped her arms around herself.

"Do you think you could say what you want during sex?"

Gabi shook her head. She knew there would be a million words in her head, but none of them would come out in that situation. None of them ever had, even when she needed them.

"What if it just involved touch but not sex?"

"Mostly, no."

"You want Shane to be psychic?"

"I know that's not fair."

"But it's what you want?"

"It would be convenient, and he is a shaman." Gabi tried to smile and lighten the mood, but Kusanagi sat and watched just as before. Gabi found herself saying, "But I wouldn't want him to do anything he didn't want to."

"Maybe you could start by telling him that. It could be a first rule for both of you. For all three of you."

"And that I want to feel safe." Whether anyone else understood or not, Gabi knew that was the crux of the matter. She petted the smooth black bedspread with the back of her hand.

After a long moment Kusanagi said, "I think they both know that, but it's good to discuss as much as you can."

They both sat quietly for a couple of minutes. Gabi heard her own heartbeat slowing down and made a conscious effort to relax tense muscles. "Um, this wasn't what I expected, but thank you."

Kusanagi smiled sweetly. "I hope you will come back and talk again sometime."

#

Rodney almost choked holding back his scream as John flew their cloaked Puddle Jumper into the landing bay of a huge Wraith ship. "Are you sure this is a good idea? I mean, when the coordinates led to a space gate we realized it was at least possible the Wraith had some sort of mother ship. But seriously, this reminds me far too much of the Death Star, and we can't assume the enemy engineers will include fatal design flaws for us to exploit just because—"

"Dr. McKay," John said as he stood up in the parked and cloaked Jumper, "It's time to activate your personal shield and sneak quietly into enemy territory."

"What? I'm not planning to use this shield unless I'm in immediate mortal peril. You remember how much trouble I had getting it off before? I might have starved."

"Do you remember the part where you promised Dr. Weir that you would follow my orders if I allowed you to join this mission?"

"Now I know that you only agreed because you'd already co-opted my staff to fix this shield."

"Yes. Now put it on and shut up or you'll be staying in the Jumper."

John walked down the ramp without a backward glance, and Rodney followed orders. As they emerged from their ship's cloak, six Marines stepped out from the cloaked Jumper beside them.

"Markham and Stackhouse, you will stay and guard the Jumpers," John whispered. "If we're not back five minutes before the explosives are set to detonate, you will leave. If at some point before that you have our civilians onboard and this site is in danger of being overrun, you will leave. Understood?"'

"Yes, sir," both answered.

"The rest of you are with me. McKay, keep an eye out for life signs and the best locations to plant our explosives. Time to find our missing people."

Rodney was amazed at how sparsely populated the ship was. It was a good thing too, because with every turn they took deeper into the Wraith ship, Rodney's head hurt worse and worse from alien conversations and perceptions pushing against him. He tried to keep them out in the hope that it would keep his thoughts in, just in case the detection worked both ways.

The mental battle was enough to keep him from losing his breakfast as they crept through semi-organic alien hallways. It was like living the movie _Fantastic Voyage_ , except their team had to travel though sickly blackened alien insides. Many walls had the appearance of muscle tissue, strung through with nerves or tendons or maybe something vegetative like roots or xylem and phloem. Whatever the analogy, it looked unhealthy to Rodney's human sensibilities, and he feared parts would be slimy if touched.

The first time he detected a pair of nearby Wraith with his Life Signs Detector, his heartbeat must have spiked. John was beside him in a moment, assessing the screen from over his shoulder.

John deployed his Marines with hand signals while Rodney looked around an open space like the slimy insides of a gourd and belatedly realized it might be an engine room. Scanning for and recording energy readings, Rodney came up with an ingenious plan (if he did say so himself, and he did, silently) to magnify the effectiveness of their explosives a hundred fold. He whispered Sentinel soft, and John had a Marine planting C4 in just the right spot even as the Wraith life signs from before were blinking out.

Then John whispered, "Do you see that, McKay?"

A hummingbird kept dodging toward a side door and buzzing back. Rodney nodded although John probably knew from watching his eyes track the annoying little bird. "You think it's Teyla's?"

John shrugged. He followed the hummingbird. The team followed John to the cell with their people. Along the way, Rodney scanned and photographed the semi-organic ship. It helped distract him from the Wraith communications buzzing around his head.

The cell, when they found it, was surprisingly large. Four Athosians and Dr. Ng huddled together looking battered but calm. Lorne and Teyla were seated close beside each other, still holding hands. Neither of them looked hurt as they quickly sprang to their feet. The hummingbird went to hover in front of Lorne's face, and his eyebrows scrunched in speculations as if he was seeing it for the first time. A green and turquoise creature with claws, a hard carapace, and a pointy head skittered out from behind Teyla to just beneath the hummingbird. Then both the bird and the alien crustacean disappeared.

John must have concluded as Rodney did that the alien-looking spirit animal had to belong with Teyla. John chided his XO quietly, "Your spirit animal is a hummingbird?"

"At least it has vertical ascent capabilities."

"Where's Lieutenant Ford?" John asked as Rodney scanned the door for locks and booby traps.

"Three Wraith guards took him, sir," Lorne reported. "Both Teyla and I argued to go in his place as the highest ranking members of our respective peoples, but they ignored us."

At that moment Rodney uncovered the mechanism he'd identified to unlock the door. "Ready for me to let them out? I didn't find any sign of an alarm system."

John nodded, and Rodney reached into the wiring that resembled intestines and freed the captives. It was in fact slimy.

John took the life signs detector from Rodney's vest and handed it to Lorne, "Go with the Marines back to the Jumper. Your primary objective it to get the civilians out safely. If you have clear opportunities, especially near engines or critical systems, the Marines are carrying enough C4 to hopefully blow this ship right out of existence."

Lorne nodded and headed out leading the others.

John led Rodney quickly in the opposite direction following sounds only he could hear. As they moved, one alien voice became clearer and clearer in Rodney's mind. It sang mentally of an enormous new hunting ground known as Earth. Others whispered their mental excitement as they heard. It was only as John drew them to a stop that Rodney's ears heard the physical voice that accompanied the powerful mental song. It was a strange, two toned voice reminiscent of the Goa'uld but with a mental component. "You will tell me the way to Earth before you die."

Rodney followed John's line of sight and saw a vampiric female Wraith with bright red hair and aquatic looking slits in her face looming above a kneeling Lieutenant Ford. Ford was shaking his head. He seemed to have aged ten years.

The Wraith woman slapped a hand to Ford's chest where his shirt had been torn away. Her strangely modulated voice insisted, "Tell me the way to Earth," as Ford's face wrinkled and his hair began to turn gray. The mental voice still sang powerfully of Earth. Other mental voices sang along. John started shooting right beside him. Rodney slapped his hands to his ears.

Three shots hit the female Wraith. They healed instantly as Ford grew older. John switched his fire to the Wraith guards, and they went down. Then he was shooting the arm that fed from Ford. Suddenly there was blood everywhere, and Ford fell back with the hand still attached to his chest but no longer attached to the Wraith.

John leapt into the room shooting directly into the female Wraith. Her mental voice sang out, "Let me die so all the other will wake!"

"Stop!" Rodney shouted, leaping against John's side hard enough to foul his aim. "She wants you to kill her. Something about waking others."

#

John was enraged. He couldn't imagine what had come over Rodney as he threw himself into danger and knocked against John's side.

"Take cover, Rodney!"

"How precious, the Runner has a mate to protect. You may be distasteful to my kind, but I will take his mind with me as I die."

John was about to pull the trigger again when McKay shouted, "There are thousands above us who will wake if she dies!"

The Wraith moved faster than John could see and wrapped an arm around Rodney's neck, "You believe I need that hand to—No!"

A flash of green light delineated the shield protecting Rodney's neck. At the same time, McKay's beaver appeared, gnawing at a spear beside one of the fallen guards. John wasted a moment wondering what good a spear would do him if he had to avoid killing the red haired Wraith. Then he sprang past the beaver and grabbed not one but two spears, and he rushed the Wraith as she pulled away from his Guide.

In another moment John had her pinned to the ground, a spear through each shoulder. He'd avoided puncturing anything vital, so he used a rope from his vest to quickly tie her feet.

"Let's go." John turned to scoop up Ford but the floor where he'd fallen was empty. "Ford!" John nearly shouted as he tried to bring his sense of smell up enough to track the Lieutenant despite the overwhelming smells of Ford's own blood and the alien ship.

"No time," Rodney panted, pulling at John's arm. "Either we find him on the way or we all die here."

John couldn't leave Ford behind, but he couldn't risk his Guide either. He ran as McKay pulled him back the way they'd come. Traces of Ford's blood along with the female Wraith's scent seemed to have come this way as well, so John put on a burst of speed and forced McKay to keep up.

They reached their Jumper less than three minutes before the explosives were set to go off. Ford's scent was here too. A quick hand swipe told John the other Jumper had left as he'd ordered. John had to assume Ford had made it out with the others.

He piloted himself and Rodney out of the landing bay and flew a straight line away from the Wraith mothership with all the acceleration the Puddle Jumper would give him. The explosion behind them might have overwhelmed his senses if he hadn't been expecting it. Instead, his Sentinel vibration sense and piloting instincts helped him ride the shock wave until they could safely loop back to the gate.

John 's IDC was greeted by Elizabeth's "Thank god."

When he exited the Jumper, his XO greeted him with a tidy salute. "Good to see you, sir."

The Athosian leader, Teyla, who was still holding Lorne's hand, raised an eyebrow at the two of them but offered no comment.

Rodney came out of the Jumper complaining. "Now how am I supposed to get this thing off?"

John leaned as close as he could to his Guide's ear and whispered, "I owe you thank-god-we're-alive sex."

The shield dropped from Rodney's chest into John's waiting hand. John put it in his pocket and led his Guide to the infirmary with a hand behind his neck.

In the infirmary John expected to see Ford already in care. When he couldn't find any sign of the Lieutenant he asked Markham, "What happened to Lieutenant Ford?"

"We tried to help him, sir. He was bloody and one of his eyes was bugged out with the white part entirely turned black. He ran through the docking bay and knocked us aside with more force than I'd thought possible. Admittedly, neither Stackhouse nor I were expecting him to fight us." Markham flinched a little at the admission. "Then he flew off in one of those alien spaceships. I was hoping he'd find his way back here before us. I'm not sure how bad his injury was, but he seemed strong. Perhaps when he calms down?"

John shook his head as the possibilities tumbled through his mind.

#

Rodney didn't object when John kept him within arm's reach all through their infirmary visit. Kusanagi, who seemed to be in the infirmary on some other errand, brought Rodney a power bar and a mug of soup. John watched him eat every bite while they gave Weir a preliminary debrief in the infirmary.

Then Weir said, "Senior Staff at 0900."

Carson said, "You're off duty until then. Get some sleep."

Rodney took the opportunity to complain at length back in their quarters when John insisted on removing Rodney's clothes for him while sniffing in a not at all erotic manner.

Once they were both in the shower, everything was different. Warm water beat down over Rodney's shoulders, and his Sentinel explored him with wet soapy hands. The Sentinel didn't seem to care which zones were erogenous or not. It didn't matter. Maybe there was something to thank-god-we're-alive sex, because Rodney's entire surface area tingled at every caress. Even the water on his skin made him want more. John pressed against him, forcing him back against the wall, and Rodney just wished the skin on his sides could be in contact, too.

John rubbed against him, licking and kissing and sometimes holding both their cocks together as he rocked and thrust.

When Rodney finally thought they'd fall over the edge, John pulled him out of the shower and started drying them both off.

"No, no, no," Rodney started to complain.

"I'm not done with you yet." His Sentinel pulled him to the bed.

John pushed Rodney flat on his back and crawled over him licking and kissing. When John started lapping at his nipple, Rodney threw his head back and whimpered.

John caught his wrists and took his time sucking on each and every finger.

After a while Rodney was floating. Before John, he'd never been so turned on for so long. Only a Sentinel lover could keep him right on the edge without ever letting him slip over. But Rodney was long past fighting it. His body was a mess of nerve endings and Rodney couldn't remember how to do anything but feel.

When he felt a warm slick finger push inside him, Rodney almost came. But John pulled on his balls just hard enough to stop the orgasm. That was fine with Rodney. He was along for the ride by that point.

Sensations poured through him, inside and out. Fingers massaged his prostate and his body surged with it. Then John split him open and thrust into him slow and deep. John leaned down and plunged his tongue into Rodney's mouth but didn't change rhythm. Rodney's entire body vibrated to the pace John set. When they finally came, every cell in both their bodies was consumed in the sensation.

#

Gabi was called away abruptly from dinner. Brett had barely scraped together the last of his macaroni and cheese when Shane asked, "So what's bothering you?"

Brett cringed at how easily Shane could read him. "Dr. Sandburg didn't like my research idea."

"Tracing deleted items about Sentinels and Guides in the Ancient database?"

Brett nodded. "He sent me info on some very dry genetics and tracking work there, but it's not really anthropology. It's almost like he's avoiding sending me the interesting bits, and no personal notes about Ellison or Lerato or anyone in Africa. He also suggested that I and my 'colleagues' hold off on identity research and give security issues priority."

Shane pressed his foot against Brett's under the table. "What do you think he means?"

"Probably he heard about my run in with the energy creature and knows we still haven't checked out ninety percent of the city. But it's not like they'll let anthropologists join the survey patrols, and the few items they bring back are given to the physicists and engineers, never to us."

He felt Shane's foot stroking his calf. His body responded as if he hadn't been touched in a year. It had been an Atlantean week since Brett had come back from the infirmary and they'd all slept on the floor of his room together. That had been a good night. Since then though, sleeping alone seemed lonely, and every touch made him want more than he could have.

"You said before that what you were learning here was more important to you than earning your degree. Why not follow your own instincts while also keeping an eye out for whatever security issues Sandburg might want you to study?"

Brett nodded, but the words "follow your own instincts" combined with Shane playing footsies had pretty much derailed his higher mental functions. Brett jerked back and piled Gabi's abandoned dishes onto the tray with his own. "Think we should check on Gabi?"

Shane shrugged and followed but kept glancing at Brett as they made their way through the halls.

Gabi wasn't in her room or the office she'd set up in the ZPM room. She wasn't in any of the other labs either. Brett finally gave up and called her on the Sentinel Guide band on the radio. "Gabi, this is Brett, where are you?"

"Just leaving officer country."

"What?"

"I'll meet you in the mess."

By the time they returned to the mess, Gabi had snagged three little cakes and a table on the balcony. "I missed dessert. Did you guys?"

"I could eat," Brett said, pulling up a plate.

"You can have mine." Shane pushed an extra plate toward Gabi as he sat down across from her and next to Brett.

The cakes were grainy and covered with syrup. Brett couldn't guess if they were meant to be British or something Middle Eastern.

Gabi made a happy humming sound as she took her first bite. Shane smiled at her with such open longing that it made Brett hot all over.

Gabi stopped humming and hunched in around her dessert a bit.

"I think the three of us need to talk," Brett said.

"I'll do anything you want." Gabi said. "I don't want to be in your way."

Brett tapped his fork on his plate. "Gabi, you're being stupid. I think we're all being stupid. We need to talk about what we all want at this point and how we're going to handle things."

Gabi put down her fork. "I don't think I can eat during something like that."

"You should eat first," Shane said, with a flick of his eyes suggesting Brett keep quiet. "And tell me what 'officer country' means."

Gabi smiled and dug into her cake again. Brett wanted to hug Gabi to make it up to her. He wanted to hug Shane for making it right with Gabi. For the time being, he kept his hands to himself and his mouth shut.

"That's what Major Lorne calls the hallway with the nice suites where he and the other high muckety mucks live. I guess he and Sheppard are the highest ranking officers here. Weir, McKay, and Beckett are the highest ranking civilians. I think some of the other important scientists live in that hall as well."

"What brought you there?"

Gabi smiled but squeezed her eyes shut tight. "Dr. Kusanagi convinced Major Lorne to let me set up my modified energy monitor to collect data on bonding energy."

"So the rumors are true that Lorne is a Sentinel after all and one of the natives rescued with him is his Guide?" Brett asked.

"Looks like."

Brett paused with his fork halfway to his mouth. "And they told Kusanagi they were planning to bond tonight?"

"I don't know how that was communicated to her. Dr. McKay and Colonel Sheppard let me record a test of charging energy with them before the rescue, so maybe one of them told her to get me. McKay made her talk to me about bonding energy. She was really cool about it."

Shane was smiling at Gabi again. He took each revelation without any sign of surprise, seeming more concerned with Gabi's happiness about the situation. Instead of making Brett jealous, it made him incredibly pleased to be involved with them both.

It also reminded Brett of his research on the deleted words the Ancients had used to describe Guides or Sentinels or something related. What he'd learned on Earth had led him to believe Guides managed the spirit plane or spiritual aspects of the partnership while Sentinels were most tied to the physical. While he couldn't deny that Gabi's senses gave her insights into unique aspects of the physical world, he thought she was often distracted by what he'd call mental factors. Shane was clearly the most spiritual, which left Brett tied most to the physical. While he enjoyed physical things, it didn't seem like much to contribute to their triad. Maybe focusing on words wouldn't help him with this either.

Realizing that Gabi had almost finished both her desserts, Brett set himself to cleaning his own plate.

As they walked back to their rooms, Brett asked, "So what sort of data are you trying to collect?"

"It seems that either each Guide or each Sentinel-Guide pair may have a distinct energy signature. I'm trying to document or disentangle that. I think there might be some sort of energy surge during bonding, and if I can collect readings from that, I could compare those to the energy put into charging ZPMs or smaller items like McKay's personal shield."

Gabi made a good show of speaking freely, but Brett sensed there was more than she was saying. Perhaps she was less comfortable talking while moving through corridors than in the corner of the dining room balcony. He wasn't going to worry about it when the conversation he wanted to have was just around the corner. Brett mentally opened the door to his room, since it came first in their corridor.

They all tramped inside, kicked off shoes, and settled on Brett's bed. He was glad to see that was still easy enough between them. "Anyone want a backrub, foot massage, lap to cuddle up in?"

Gabi looked at Shane like she expected him to accept. Shane smiled at her.

"Why do you keep smiling at me?" Gabi asked Shane as she swatted his arm.

"Does it bother you?"

"Did you not answer on purpose?"

Shane gazed at her with complete focus. "I smiled when you enjoyed the cake because I like seeing you happy. I smiled when you told about your work because the stories were amusing, it pleases me to hear your perspective on Sentinel and Guide matters, and again because I like seeing you happy. I smiled when you acted as if Brett's offer was aimed at me more than you because I love both of you and want you to see that whatever is happening between Brett and me does not exclude you. Now will you tell me what bothers you about my smiling and possibly about Brett's offer?"

Brett leaned against the wall amazed at how the conversation he'd intended to start seemed to be happening without him having to push at all.

Gabi pulled her legs in tight and her eyes dropped to focus somewhere between Brett and Shane. "First, it's totally unfair that you can just answer like that and put it all out there. I mean, you don't most of the time. But when you do, you really do. I wish I could give that kind of honesty back, but—Brett once told me that he didn't like putting things into words, especially words like love, because, well, Brett would have to explain his reasons. But while part of me wants to say 'I love you' back, a lot of parts of me don't think it would be honest or don't know what it means or whatever. This is too hard. Dr. Kusanagi said I should suggest two things to start with. One was that I didn't want any of us to ever do anything we didn't want to do. The other was that I wanted to be safe. There. Someone else's turn."

Brett wanted to know more about Gabi's conversation with Dr. Kusanagi and how they came to discuss any such thing, but he knew it was his turn and there were more important things to say. "I'd really like to hold you or rub your feet or something, but only if you want it too and would feel safe. How's that for a start?"

Gabi rolled her eyes but poked a foot in his direction.

Brett pulled the foot into his lap as Shane said to Gabi, "I could rub your other foot."

"Nope, you give me yours instead. Maybe Brett will give you one of his."

Shane smiled and then said, "This smile is in appreciation of your genius." He arranged himself so one of his feet was convenient for Gabi as he reached out to fondle one of Brett's feet.

Brett couldn't help the shivers and arousal that cascaded up his leg, through his groin, and all over his body.

Gabi's body tightened, and she hunched in around Shane's foot.

Brett felt it like a kick to the stomach and squeezed Gabi's foot in what he hoped was a reassuring manner. "Shoot, I just figured out what that posture means, and I should have guessed a while ago. Is it smell or heartbeat that clues you in when I react sexually to Shane?"

"Smell. I turn it down when I realize. I don't mean to be intrusive, it's like my default setting for smell notices that."

"I'm sorry it makes you uncomfortable. I wish you could sense every time I want to hug or touch either you or Shane. Sex is only a small part of it, but I know I've been overreacting a lot lately."

"I'm really fine with you guys going at whatever pace you set. I don't want my issues to detract from anything you have." Gabi started to rub Shane's foot for real. Brett took the chance to try to reassure Gabi by stroking her foot warm and slow. It was harder than it should have been to concentrate on Gabi because everything Shane did to Brett's foot felt erotic, even though Brett was sure Shane didn't realize the effect he was having.

"Shane, could you just keep your hands still on my foot for a moment. I really like what you're doing; I just need a chance to focus." He looked at Shane, who was smiling at him now. Gabi was focusing her sight and her touch on Shane's foot, and Brett had no idea if she'd adjusted her sense of smell or hearing to ignore his body's overwhelming reactions.

"Okay, I'm going to suggest what I think I'd like," Brett said. "But I'm totally on board with both of your caveats. So I'm putting my ideas out there as a starting point, inadequate words and all, and then I'm hoping you'll both tell me how to make it work for all three of us."

He took a deep breath and laced his fingers through Gabi's toes. Then he wiggled them playfully until she smiled, even if she wouldn't look up and meet his eyes. "I really liked having all three mattresses in the same room so we could all sleep beside each other. I would do that every night if it were up to me, and probably I'd end up curled around one or the other of you half the time. I am very turned on by Shane at the moment, and while that might ease off a bit once we're actually having sex for a while, I like feeling that way. Being turned on feels good to me even when nothing's really happening at the moment, I mean, assuming things are mostly good with whatever relationship I'm in, which I'm going to assume about this one for now. That said, I'd like to understand what parts of this upset you, Gabi. Until a few minutes ago it didn't occur to me that my reaction would upset you, and knowing about your past experiences, maybe I can guess, but I think I'd understand better if we can talk about it."

Gabi was silent for a long time. She was working Shane's foot with all the massage moves she'd learned and perfected over the last several months, and Shane's eyes were half closed.

"It's funny," Gabi said, although her voice sounded flat and unamused. "I think of myself as open minded about sex, but I am embarrassed every time I notice someone else's arousal. And trust me, you guys aren't the most horny by a long shot around here. I think I'm more comfortable when you're actually kissing or making out. Maybe because I know you're choosing to share that in front of me. I hadn't thought about it before, but I'd like Brett to be there the first time Shane and I kiss, if that's okay with you, Shane. It's kind of like when people list who they'd want at their wedding, I'd want Brett at my first kiss. Does that make sense?"

"I want Brett with us, too," Shane said, his voice husky with disuse or maybe something more. Brett was glad Shane's hands were just resting on Brett's foot. It was exactly what he needed even as he enjoyed working Gabi's arch and heel.

"I'm honored." Brett met Gabi's eyes and held them. "I'm probably the least shy about this stuff and know the most about my own reactions. I would actually like to have you with us, Gabi, during intimate moments to whatever extent you're comfortable with. I don't think I have a kink for being watched or watching, but I feel like the three of us are so tightly tied together that I don't want any of us to be excluded. That said, I don't want to leave anyone frustrated." He couldn't help but laugh at himself a bit then and saw Shane was smiling, too. "So if Gabi wasn't ready for sex and didn't want to get herself off, I'd want to find some way of not excluding her but not making her frustrated either. What did you both think about sleeping in the same room most of the time? We could find spare mattresses so you could keep your own beds in your rooms if you wanted to leave options open each night."

"I shared a bed most of my life," Shane said. "We could put all three mattresses in my room, in the center if you want. But I think Brett and I will end up having sex in the next few days if we move on to this arrangement, so we need to be sure how everyone feels about that."

"Is that what you want?" Brett hadn't meant to force the issue with his suggested sleeping arrangements. He needed something, but it didn't have to be that.

"What you said about frustration wasn't a problem for me until recently. Now, I'm afraid I'm a horny puppy." Shane caught Brett's eye and squeezed his foot.

Brett could feel his own heart racing and knew Gabi couldn't miss that. "Don't you mean a horny African wild dog?"

"Not tonight though." Shane gave one solid caress with both hands along the length of Brett's foot. "We can take care of what we need to separately, but I'd like to sleep together again before taking that step." He opened his eyes and pulled at Gabi using his foot. "I have always felt connected to both you and Brett. I can wait on any part of intimacy for as long as you wish, but I like the idea of having you with us. Does the idea of watching our first time and then joining us in bed to sleep appeal to you or appall you?"

"If you were Sentinels, you'd know I found the thought arousing, which is still somewhat surprising to me. I think just sleeping tonight and then doing what you suggest tomorrow sounds right for us. I don't know how much I'll want to be around or go off by myself when the two of you have sex after the first time. Can we wait and see how it goes?"

Shane smiled.

Brett tugged on Gabi's foot and used his own foot to tug at Shane. "I want to hug both of you now."

They both piled up against him and the intimacy, arousal, and emotions of the evening washed over Brett in waves. "For lack of a better word, I'm pretty sure I love you both. And this has been by far the sappiest evening of my life. In a very good way. How did I find not one but two people I could be this way with?"

They pressed together in silence for a while. Then Gabi's head popped up, and she said, "What if we made this room a living room and media center, with a bed for a couch so Brett or whoever could sleep here if needed. The middle room could have three mattresses. And well, I think I still need my room for now, but I'm willing to share it as a pantry and project area most of the time."

"Does this mean we're moving in together?" Brett teased. No one contradicted him.

#

It was nine thirty the next morning and Gabi was just settling into her office when a call came over the Sentinel Guide channel.

"All Sentinels and Guide report to the main conference room."

The voice was Colonel Sheppard, and Gabi hadn't seen him since before the rescue the day before. She wasn't sure what they'd be meeting about, and she wasn't sure where the main conference room was. It took only a moment to pull up the science department schematics for Atlantis. The room was right by Dr. Weir's office and the control room.

Gabi scooped up her computer and brought it with her.

She was the last to arrive. Major Lorne gave her a shy smile as he silently passed her an open box containing her monitoring equipment.

Dr. Weir, the only person in the room who wasn't a Sentinel or Guide, looked like she'd eaten something sour and it was caught between her teeth. She began speaking as Gabi slid into the open seat between Brett and Shane. "During Senior Staff this morning, it came to my attention that there may be aspects of Sentinel and Guide abilities that are not completely understood or that only some of us know about. In the interest of better communication, I've expanded today's meeting in the hope that each of you will share what you know or suspect. This should benefit all of you as well as our senior staff for making better informed decisions."

Even Gabi picked up that Weir was pissed about something, and she didn't consider herself observant in that way. She wondered what aspects the expedition leader resented being kept from her and whether Gabi's energy research was going to add to her aggravation.

"Brett and Shane, as those most engaged with the academic or anthropological side of Sentinel and Guide studies, could one of you take notes? We'll assume they're confidential to those in this room until we have reason to sort through or decide otherwise. Any objections?"

"I type faster," Brett whispered across Gabi to Shane.

"It might take two of us to keep up with the discussion," Shane replied, "But I didn't bring a computer."

"You can use mine," Gabi said. She set up a shared document and switched places with Shane so he and Brett could coordinate without whispering across her.

"This is a waste of time," McKay said. "People specialize for a reason. It will take hours to cover everything someone here doesn't know, especially with her in the mix." McKay gestured to Lorne's new Guide, Teyla, whom Gabi had only been introduced to the night before.

Teyla smiled serenely as she scanned the room making eye contact with as many people as possible. All five Sentinels and six Guides were present, as well as Dr. Weir. "Major Lorne and I have already reviewed Dr. Sandburg's thesis together. I am sure I have much to learn, but what I shared with you in the Village of the Ancestors was useful when you encountered the Wraith, was it not?"

McKay huffed. "I at least need coffee. Lots of coffee."

Weir nodded and radioed for someone to bring coffee and snacks. Then they settled in for hours of show and tell.

#

Teyla spoke first. John tried to listen patiently, but every moment she described from their visit to her planet forced John to notice his shortcomings as a leader. She had been raised to lead her people. He'd fallen into leadership based largely on the ATA genetics that also made him a Sentinel. Now Ford was missing and the Athosian settlement destroyed. Then Rodney mentioned photographs, and Shane and Brett scrambled to paste the correct images into parts of the transcript as McKay started using the document like a PowerPoint with some Ancient ceiling projection system.

When Teyla finished with what she knew, John picked up with what he'd learned from the Wraith leader. Teyla helped with Pegasus terminology like "Wraith Queen" and "Hiveship" that gave possible insights into Wraith culture. McKay jumped in and argued with Teyla about how Guides experienced the Wraith's mental communication.

Shane stopped typing and went rigid when McKay described the Wraith Queen as singing about eating everyone on Earth. John choked as he realized what they were describing in front of civilians who were basically children, but McKay and Teyla didn't even notice in the midst of their argument.

John tried to calm things down with his perspective on the Queen's threat that her death would wake thousands more Wraith. Inside, he derided himself for the horror he'd almost unleashed, but his spoken explanation began with how useful Rodney's advanced warning had been. His storytelling sped up as he described Rodney's spirit animal giving him the idea to pin the Queen down alive so they could blow up the thousands of sleeping Wraith along with her.

At that point Shane mumbled an apology and bolted from the room.

"Is he all right?" Kusanagi asked.

Weir said, "Let's all take a ten minute break."

John kicked himself for upsetting the kid more even when he'd tried to play up the positive spirit animal bits. He could barely lead the military contingent; debriefing in front of innocent civilians was beyond him.

#

Brett left his computer and rushed out to find Shane. Gabi followed him, and then without pause led him to a bathroom door.

"He's throwing up. Do you think he wants us around?" Gabi asked.

Brett knocked. "Shane, is it okay if Gabi and I come in?"

"Gabi should dial down smell," he replied.

Dr. Beckett came up behind them and asked, "Anything I can help with?"

"Are we supposed to find him flat soda?" Gabi asked.

Beckett patted her shoulder. "I'll fetch something and bring it back to the conference room. Call me if the lad's sick from more than the subject matter or if he decides not to return."

#

Gabi nodded her thanks to Dr. Beckett, dialed her sense of smell to almost zero, and followed Brett into the bathroom. Shane was hunched over the toilet bowl, but seemed to have stopped heaving. His eyes were squeezed shut and his face and neck were sweaty.

The shared bathrooms on Atlantis used warm air rather than towels to dry hands. Gabi reached into her pouch and found some tissues that she dampened with cool water. Brett was already crouched behind Shane, hands on his shoulder to offer support.

Gabi knelt to one side and clasped his knee. "I'm going to wipe your face and neck." She started by holding the pad of damp tissue to his forehead, Then she patted the sweatiest areas of his face and neck before asking, "Should I try to clean around your mouth?"

"I think I can rinse at the sink now. Sorry about that." Shane moved to push himself up, and Gabi and Brett each supported one arm.

"I don't think you have anything to apologize for. It was pretty gory." Gabi didn't remember ever reacting to graphic descriptions that way, but having suffered what she'd thought were absence seizures all her life, she had a lot of empathy for being physically overcome in front of people.

"It was genocide." His voice was flat but his heartbeat sped.

"They want to eat us," Gabi protested.

"I can't be the only person to think that if Guides can hear the Wraith's communications we're probably related to them in some way."

"Ick. I hadn't gotten there yet, but thanks for the warning," Gabi said, trying to keep her tone light. "Now wash up."

When they returned to the conference room and sat down, Dr. Beckett passed a glass of something cold and cloudy to Shane.

Weir smiled tightly, and Gabi cringed at the condescension. Then she sat up straighter and held her head higher. She was glad that Brett and Shane were busy setting up the laptops and didn't notice. Weir said, "Why don't we focus on the spirit animal aspect for a while, as that's one of the points that some of us don't appear to have been briefed on."

Sheppard began by listing all their spirit animals. When he described Teyla's as a "bluish, greenish, maybe turquoise alien crustacean with a pointy head," Teyla said, "It is an infari. They are fast, tough, and control insect infestations."

Sheppard wrinkled his nose at the mention of insects and segued into gleefully mocking his XO about his hummingbird. Then McKay gave a rant about ravens that ignored the laws of physics and how hummingbirds at least had an excuse for flying off at almost any angle.

Weir silenced them with a stern, "Gentlemen!" and Gabi was somewhat pleased to hear her parental tones weren't directed at the younger set this time.

By then Shane had recovered enough to tell about meeting their spirit animals on the spirit plane before making contact in person.

Gabi couldn't catch Brett's eyes due to his frantic typing. She decided that if he wasn't mentioning their meeting on the spirit plane after their spirit animals merged then she didn't have to either.

Weir had a nearly endless list of questions about spirit animals. The answers or lack thereof didn't seem to appease her much.

McKay finally broke off his game of footsies with the Colonel to ask, "Gabi, has any of your so called energy research produced measurable data on the spirit animals? And can someone pass me more coffee?"

"Um," Gabi answered, "We did have one measurable event when two spirit animals merged."

McKay blinked at her, speechless for once without her even trying. So she explained her work on frequency distributions and energy signatures to date.

McKay said, "I want a preliminary report with data and proposals for future research by next week."

Beckett said, "You're sure Brett had no heartbeat before your spirit animals merged?"

"I track Brett's heartbeat better than anything else I've tried. There was definitely no heartbeat by the time I entered the hall. The energy recordings show two minutes fifteen seconds from when the energy sucking entity attacked him until our spirit animals merged."

"Aye, if only we could replicate that energy," the doctor muttered.

"The energy may be the only part we can measure," Shane said, "but most of the stories shared here today and other stories I know suggest that spirit animals are much more than energy."

"And I've never detected them directly in any of my energy experiments," Gabi said. "The merge was probably them using energy. The one time my aardvark manipulated matter, with the key stone that gave us the Atlantis gate address, I got the impression that was very hard for her."

Shane nodded beside Gabi. "The way I learned it, each spirit animal is bound to its Sentinel or Guide. The Sentinel and Guide develop their bond to each other. Their spirit animals develop bonds to each other and to the partner Sentinel or Guide, possibly also to other spirit animals or people. There are stories of a Sentinel's spirit animal watching out for the Sentinel's child, for example. But most of their actions involve demonstrating an action or providing information as to location or danger. Accounts of spirit animals acting on the physical world, even actions such as merging to save a life, seem to be very rare and injure the spirit animals even more than spiritual strife with their humans. "

"My aardvark had a bad cut from her shoulder down her back after the merge," Gabi said.

There was an awkwardly long pause in the conversation. The Colonel broke it by saying, "If we've covered most other areas of discussion, there's something the Wraith Queen said that I think might be strategically important. I believe at least Teyla and Lorne should stay with us for this discussion. But if other non-senior staff have had enough for today, they can wait for the general briefing later."

Most of the room looked at Shane. He sighed and said, "I'll excuse myself if I need to, and I have concerns from earlier that I will want to address with relevant people at some point. However, I believe Colonel Sheppard has piqued all of our curiosity for the moment."

Gabi remembered how impressed she'd been the day she first met Shane. He had a way of speaking sometimes, a certain confidence no matter his youth or how much of an outsider he was to a group. It was hard to reconcile that with the boy puking in the bathroom earlier. But she thought she'd gained a tiny step toward understanding after this day's events.

Sheppard cleared his throat. "The Wraith Queen called me a runner and said I was distasteful to her kind. She also knew something about Rodney's connection to me and to her telepathy stuff. She threatened to take his mind with her as she died. I don't like it when the enemy has information I don't."

Gabi saw Dr. McKay shift closer to the Colonel. She guessed their legs were pressed together beneath the table.

Teyla fixed her eyes on Sheppard as she answered in the sternest voice Gabi had heard her use yet. "There are a few rare individuals whom the Wraith release rather than feed upon. Sometimes these people are beholden to the Wraith and become known as Wraith worshippers or informants. I fear your Lieutenant Ford, who I understand ran off with the Queen's feeding hand still attached to his chest, may enter into such an existence."

Sheppard opened his mouth to interrupt, but Teyla silenced him with a wave of her hand. "Runners on the other hand are known for fighting the Wraith. Most populations shun them because the Wraith have an uncanny ability to track them. The Wraith will always arrive in pursuit if a runner stays in one place for more than a few days. They will destroy any person or group suspected of helping a runner. Some rumors suggest that runners are immune to Wraith feeding. Others portray them as merely more challenging to hunt, but in ordinary ways. They suggest the Wraith chase them for training or for sport. My only personal encounter with a runner occurred when I was first learning the trade routes and still quite young. My father gave a scarred and filthy man a bundle with all the food we had on us, and the runner thanked him and left so as not to bring us trouble."

The room was silent until McKay started typing something and muttered, "I wonder if they implant some signal device to track them. Gabi, I'm sending you readings we took before the Wraith attack from a signal device hidden in a necklace. I have some readings from both the Wraith Hiveship and Wraith Darts so you can look for any markers distinct to Wraith technology."

Gabi opened the new file and was about to start analysis right there in the meeting, but the next question made her freeze in place.

"What about the telepathic connection between the Wraith and you Guides?" Weir asked.

The question was addressed to Teyla and McKay, but the phrase "you Guides" reminded Gabi of Shane's earlier concern. She reached out and placed a hand on his knee. She would have taken his hand but he and Brett were still frantically sharing typing duties. Most of what followed was pure speculation, and no one spoke of any relationship between Guides and Wraith. The closest they came was when Weir asked John, "Do you think this could be a security concern?"

John's too solemn reply was, "They learned about Earth from Ford, and I'm not sure any human could hold out against what the Wraith Queen was doing to him. I think our number one concern needs to be getting Ford back."

#

As soon as they were back in their rooms, Brett pulled Shane into a hug and held him tight.

"I don't think I'm up to doing anything tonight or maybe for a few more days."

"Shhh. I just want to hold you."

He saw Gabi creeping by, carrying her laptop and box of electronics toward her room. "And Gabi if she'll join us."

She threw a mock scowl over her shoulder but came back quickly enough. They ended up cuddled together fully clothed on the triple bed in Shane's room. At some point they were going to need food. And there was a community briefing on the Wraith scheduled for that afternoon. Instead, in their room in the middle of the day, Gabi and Brett ended up wrapped around Shane. He fell asleep in their arms.

#

John followed his XO and Teyla through the wormhole, Keeping Rodney in the center of the group. They emerged into a market square that was half Tolkien and half Douglas Adams. The ground was packed dirt and many of the stalls were shaded with animal skins stretched over sticks. But scraps of tech with wires or Ancient crystals sold right beside bows and arrows. One hawker gave an infomercial spiel about his Rube Goldberg style device that could apparently crack and cook an egg and toast bread on a timer set the night before. As with infomercials on Earth, the crowd watching him seemed more entertained than interested in purchasing.

"You really think someone here will know about Ford?" John asked Teyla.

"This is the largest and most diverse gathering you will find, and you're lucky I'm here to introduce you as allies. You must take what opportunities arise."

Teyla was hailed first by a leather worker whom she introduced as a master craftsman. She introduced Lorne as her new partner and McKay and Sheppard as allies who had aided her people during a Wraith attack and were looking for new allies and sources for trade and information. She did not mention Sentinels, Guides, or Atlantis. The conversation took many twists and turns before she produced a picture of Ford and spoke solemnly about the Wraith's hand being severed while still attached to his chest.

The leather worker met John's eyes. "You should accept this man is lost to you. Even if you find him, he will no longer be your friend."

"I don't leave anyone behind," Sheppard tried not to growl.

Teyla shifted partway between the two men. "If nothing else, they could offer their comrade an honorable death. Surely someone here deals in rumors of this sort?"

She received a grudging nod and a name.

They followed Teyla through several such encounters. The Athosian leader seemed to have a lot of friends. Despite not caring much for diplomacy, John could see the tactical advantages to her introductions.

As she answered various tradespeople's and other customer's questions, a narrative formed around them. The Lanteans, as Teyla called them without ever mentioning Atlantis, came from remote territories and had been out of touch for some time. They were strong and independent. Their unique fighting style fared well against the Wraith, and they helped all of Teyla's village escape to temporary safety. Soon the Athosians would return to their world and resume their nomadic ways. She and Lorne would split their time between their two peoples. In addition to searching for the lost Ford, the Lanteans were willing to stand up to the Wraith. She portrayed them as deserving of alliances and support in what might be a hopeless fight or might in time amount to something more.

By the seventh or tenth interaction, Sheppard wondered what Weir would make of Teyla's maneuvering.

Then a man approached Teyla and introduced himself as Amat, a friend of a friend of her father. She did not offer him the bowed forehead greeting.

"I know of a bar where people who track the Wraith worshippers and collaborators meet." Amat whispered but in a hoarse wet way that wasn't very secretive. "They keep it quiet for obvious reasons, but I could tell you that location in exchange for one of those Lantean guns."

"I appreciate your sense of humor," Teyla deadpanned. "While I think highly of advice offered by friends of my father, we both know the value men place on their weapons."

Lorne shifted to Teyla's side, where he'd have a clear line of attack if there was trouble, but Amat's eyes were on John and his weapons.

John shifted close in front of McKay and said, "She's right. I wouldn't trade my guns for anything." He didn't want to see them used against his people in the future, and he was pretty sure it was against policy anyway.

"Perhaps I could offer you some coin for your trouble now," Teyla said. "If your lead proves valuable, you could visit my people when we resettle on Athos, and we would show you our appreciation honorably."

"I have little need for Athosian trade goods. And this was a favor for your new friends I was offering, not for you or your father's people."

John saw Amat was about to leave and not on good terms with them or Teyla. He pulled a Swiss army knife from a tac vest pocket and said, "What about this?" He unfolded the longer and shorter blades to give the man some idea.

"You offer such puny knives?"

Influenced by his earlier infomercial musings John said, "But wait, there's more." He closed the two blades and pulled up the scissors, showing how the tiny mechanism worked on a loose thread from his jacket. Then he demonstrated the nail file and magnifying glass features.

"It is little more than a toy."

"It's a real man's toy and highly sought after among my people." Sheppard put on the puffed up air he used to confuse Marines. He caught Lorne raising his eyebrows in disbelief, but that was out of their informant's line of sight.

"Fine, I'll take it," Amat said.

"Not until you describe the destination to Teyla's satisfaction."

After a brief conversation, Teyla pronounced herself satisfied and John handed over his knife. As soon as the man left, Teyla said, "We should go now in case he would try to make other arrangements or plant information before we arrive."

"You don't think much of him but you think it's worth following this lead?" John asked

"You could try to listen now, to see if he's reporting to someone else."

John sighed and casually shifted so his hand was touching Rodney's. "That's going to be tough with all that's going on around here."

Rodney looked up from the data pad he'd been surreptitiously checking. "He's forward and to our right. Keep a hold of me while you tune out other noises one by one."

John tuned out all voices behind them. Then he tuned out the thumping of feet and scrape of wheels. He tuned out female or high pitched voices and the random squeak of hinges someplace ahead and to the right. Finally he heard the voice he sought. "I know you're dying to take it apart and knock out twenty like it by next week. I'm offering you something priceless for one of your knock off versions of some militia's gun."

"The knife plus garrote," a raspy voice replied.

"I can take my business across the way."

"The guns he sells misfire half the time."

"So I'll make him trade me two so he can get the jump on you."

"Fine, the gun for the fancy knife with scissors."

John heard what was probably his knife slapped down roughly on a table and Amat stomping away. "He's traded my knife for a gun, and he's on the move," John whispered. "I want to follow with my hearing up which means I'm sticking to McKay. Lorne, you and Teyla need to keep watch on everything else."

"Yes, sir," Lorne answered quietly.

John wrapped his hand around the back of Rodney's wrist and headed out. It was nerve wracking using his senses this way, but John appreciated the advantage. This was as good a chance as any to see what he and Rodney could do in the field.

Soon he heard Amat saying, "You have something that belongs to me."

"She is no longer in my care. Unhand me." The new voice was smooth but less calm than the gun seller.

"Last chance, her life or yours."

"Guards!"

There were two gun shots in rapid succession. John slammed his hands to his ears and hunched forward.

#

Rodney felt John's hand jerk away before he registered the sound of gunfire. He pulled John into his chest, simultaneously moving him out of the walkway and burying John's nose in his neck. He rubbed John's back, hoping his Sentinel would ground on both scent and touch as he whispered, "Dial down hearing. Bring it down to my heartbeat."

Lorne and Teyla did some pantomime much like the American military hand signals. Part of Rodney's brain had time to wonder how well such things translated across cultures as Teyla darted away and John took a deep breath beneath Rodney's ear.

"John," Rodney whispered as the Sentinel lowered his hands.

"One more minute," John said.

Then Teyla was back with them, and John turned to her and Lorne. "Report."

"Amat and another man appear to be dead." Teyla smoothed her clothes as she spoke. "Some sort of security escort is involved. We should go."

They headed toward the gate without running but faster than Rodney usually walked.

"Are we still going to that bar?" Rodney asked.

"Yes, I'll check in and give Weir the new gate address, just in case."

Rodney fretted through the check in and while stepping through the gate into a town that looked more like something out of the old west than medieval but still unpleasant. He fingered the Ancient shield in his pocket.

If John had ordered him to go home and send Marines in his place, he would have argued. His arguments for sending Guides with their Sentinels in the field were sound. Still, he had a lump in his throat and wasn't pleased about going into a bar full of people like Amat.

Teyla led them down a side street and around a corner to the back door of a low wooden building. Rodney could hear rowdy voices and smell cheap alcohol through the closed door.

They pushed inside with Teyla in the lead. Rodney noted he was kept in the middle, as usual.

A call of, "Hey, Pretty Woman. What brings you here?" greeted them as they entered.

Every eye in the place was on their group. Teyla calmly replied, "I am Teyla Emmagan, Daughter of Tagan. This is my partner, Evan Lorne, and his people, Rodney McKay and John Sheppard. We come hoping to share knowledge."

"What sort of knowledge might that be?" a large man asked from behind the bar.

"I hear you are interested in movements of the Wraith," Teyla said. "We have personally witnessed details we could share. In exchange, we seek knowledge of this man who was lost two days ago with a Wraith's severed hand still attached to his chest."

She held out the picture of Ford, but no one took it from her or leaned in for a closer look. Rodney heard people shifting but couldn't see any real movement. He shifted a fraction of an inch closer to John, but in that instant two sets of hands grabbed him. One pinning his hands together and the other wrapping an arm around his throat.

Half the room seemed to lunge at Teyla. She kicked at least two hard enough to force them back. Two sticks had appeared in her hands. Rodney didn't know where they came from, but they moved so fast they blurred in his vision.

Beside him someone tried to grab Lorne's gun. Rodney was pretty sure Lorne managed to hit the man in the jaw with the gun before sending him to the floor with a trip and maybe another hit.

John had been a little behind Rodney. Only sounds from hits and swearing told Rodney John was fighting. Then the man holding Rodney's wrists fell. Rodney heard John gasp, "Shield, fast!" as the arm around Rodney's neck swung to the side.

Rodney slid his hand into his pocket and the moment he touched the device he felt the shield form around him. Then he felt an impact from behind followed by a curse that sounded like, "Ancestors preserve us!"

In a rush of quiet he glanced around to see John and Lorne pointing guns at the crowd and Teyla with her sticks raised slightly in front of her. Half a dozen men were on the ground, and the rest had stepped back.

"That was needlessly unpleasant," Teyla said.

"You Wraith Spawn had no business coming here." It was the big man who used to be behind the bar who spoke. He stood with the front line of customers now and held an empty metal jug in his hand like a weapon.

"I can recite my ancestry back to twelve generations as can all my people. Your insult is ill considered and physically impossible. We could have been your allies if you truly wish to fight back against the Wraith."

"Your people may accept those who can sense the Wraith and hear them call to each other. For that alone we would never ally ourselves with the Athosians." Others around the barman nodded but kept their distance as he spoke.

"My gifts allow me to warn and guide my people. These allies successfully fought the Wraith who attacked my village and brought down a whole hive two days past. You are not worthy of my or their regard. If you have no information, we will go."

"Wait!" came a voice from the back of the room. "I have heard from the Travelers of a Hiveship being destroyed. Give me details to prove your claims of responsibility. I have information that you want."

"You can't deal with them," someone said.

"Shut up," another grumbled.

"Mind your own deals," said the one who'd asked for details.

"Teyla, would it help to give them the address for the space gate by that hive?" John asked.

"The gate address, no," Teyla answered. "Do you wish to tell them how you reached the ship?"

"Suuure." John raised his voice and the room quieted. "We saw the gate address the Wraith dialed out to when they fled from us on Athos. We chased them in a ship of our own. I flew right into their docking bay and with my team we rescued those they had captured and killed their Queen by leaving her skewered with spears and tied in place while we blew up that Hiveship."

"It is not possible," someone said. "Even the Travelers could not do it."

"I could show them pictures," Rodney whispered Sentinel soft.

"Stay quiet," John answered, although it would seem like a command rather than an answer to those with standard hearing.

"His statements match details I know from Traveler contacts. Let us deal fair even if you prefer to work separately in the future." It was the voice from the back again. "I tell them, and we let them leave."

There was grumbled discussion, but Rodney figured John and Lorne could shoot the place to pieces if someone tried to get in their way. He hoped the idiots around them saw that, too.

Finally there seemed to be agreement and they were told, "The Travelers followed a fleeing Wraith Dart through a Ring of the Ancestors just as the hive exploded. They saw a dark skinned human male with a chest wound land on another planet and cut apart a Wraith feeding hand as if he was looking for something. He pulled out the enzyme sack and squeezed what remained into his mouth. Then he started asking refugees where the Wraith were active. My informants figure him for an enzyme junky."

"What planet was he on?" John asked.

"I wasn't told, and he left chasing rumors from what I heard. You should go now."

Teyla nodded and took a step back.

John said, "Nice doing business with you. We'll just back toward the door without further trouble now."

McKay looked around and backed up, staying between the others as their movements seemed to demand.

Outside the team kept their weapons out and Rodney kept his shield on. They made their way to and through the gate in record time.

In the gate room Rodney took a deep breath. He told himself the positive side of the day's adventures was that he should get more thank-god-we're-alive sex in the near future. He felt the shield deactivate and thought he was getting pretty skilled at removing it.

John promised to brief Weir as soon as they finished post mission medical screening.

As the four of them walked to the infirmary John said, "Why don't I ever see these things coming?"

"Your young shaman, Shane, did," Teyla said.

"What?"

"He and his partners joined our storytelling circle last night and told stories of Sentinels and Guides. Dr. Ng was there too, but she did not share any stories."

"What?"

"After the children and many adults including Dr. Ng had gone to bed, Shane told me what disquieted him in the morning meeting was not our descriptions of gore but our talk of genocide by the Wraith and against the Wraith. He says he comes from a part of your world where genocide has been both more common and more recent. At the same time, he mentioned fears that people would turn against Guides because we were associated with the Wraith through mind speech."

"Huh. You don't think of blowing up that ship or killing Wraith as genocide, do you?" John asked Teyla.

"I personally do not, but I respect the thoughts he shared. I am considering whether Lorne and I might include Shane and his partners on a team with us at some point."

"Off world? They're not fighters."

"Gabi has earned what your people call a black belt. But I was thinking we might develop a team for outreach if others like us, Sentinels and Guides, turn up in our travels."

"Huh, Gabi has a black belt?" Rodney asked. "You think she could teach the scientists who want to go off world? Unless you'd like to, Teyla?"

"I would be honored to help you," Teyla said. "I do not know if Gabi would feel ready to teach her skills, but if so, I am always interested in learning other styles of fighting and defense."

#

It was hours later after two meetings, dinner, and paperwork when John finally got his Guide alone. They were back in their own quarters, and Rodney was dropping clothes in a trail to the bed. Rodney stopped and asked, "Bed or shower?"

"You're looking for advice?" John didn't know what was going on in Rodney's genius brain, but he was pretty sure they weren't on the same page.

"Don't we get thank-god-we're-alive sex? I promised myself when I disengaged the shield."

John couldn't help but smile. He stepped forward and kissed his expectant lover.

Rodney kissed back and rubbed his hands up and down John's back. Then the scientist asked, "Is it supposed to be sexy or something with you dressed and me not? If so, it's not working for me. Either convince me or get naked."

John had to kiss him again. The statement was just so Rodney. He kissed the edges of Rodney's mouth, nibbled his lower lip. John let his hands wander. Rodney felt warm and smooth and perfect against him, but somehow, John's body didn't want to move on to other things.

At some point Rodney's hands slid down John's sides and one moved to cup his groin. Rodney sighed and pulled back a few inches. "Just not interested? Can you tell me if I did something wrong? You know I'm not much of a people person, so whatever it was, I probably didn't mean it."

"You didn't do anything wrong. How about I give you a thank-god-we're-alive blowjob?"

"Raincheck? Let's just go to bed." Rodney moved away and climbed under the covers as John undressed.

John pretended to pout as he unbuttoned his fly. "You're saying no to a blowjob?"

"Yes, I have the willpower of a saint. Now get naked and get in bed."

"Maybe you just want to boss me around. Is that what following orders in the field does to you?"

"What? I boss everyone around. You less than most."

John climbed into bed and blew a raspberry on his Guide's shoulder.

Rodney sputtered. "What was that for? Is this some Sentinel taste issue with the kissing and blow jobs and whatever that was?"

John licked him thoroughly. He couldn't help it if licking along Rodney's neck and ears got him squirming again. Shifting down he tongued around Rodney's nipples. John was still more amused than aroused, but he couldn't miss his lover's aroused smell or speeding heartbeat. It became a challenge for John to see how worked up he could get Rodney with just his mouth on Rodney's chest, neck, and face.

"Please, please, please," Rodney finally begged.

"I thought you didn't want a blowjob."

"Want it—now—please."

John slid down and swallowed Rodney as deep as he could in one go. Rodney whimpered and tried to move. John pressed his lover's hips down and took his time. He sucked all the way up. Then he tongued around the tip for a while. Alternating sucking and licking, he kept Rodney on edge until his hips were shuddering beneath John's palms. Then John sucked in earnest and stroked behind Rodney's sack until he came explosively.

After several minutes of lying limp and panting, Rodney rolled sideways and draped himself half across John. His leg blanketed John's cock, which was now half hard.

"Let me return the favor?" Rodney asked.

"Maybe in the morning. Go ahead and sleep."

Rodney sighed, and John knew it wasn't ideal. He stroked Rodney's hair until they both fell asleep.

#

Waking up first was unusual for Rodney. It took him a moment to figure out what his brain was up to. Then he remembered that John hadn't come last night. Something was bothering the Sentinel enough to put him off sex. Whether John wasn't ready to talk about it or, more likely, was displaying his usual lack of self-awareness and had no clue, Rodney had no intention of letting him stoically soldier on in this circumstance.

Rodney's preliminary plan of action was to wake John up with a blow job. Something in his subconscious had been set to wake Rodney up at the first brush of his lover's morning erection. Warm and already turned on himself, Rodney snuggled down under the covers and licked wetly up the length of John's cock. It pressed against his tongue as if with a mind of its own. Reaching the tip, Rodney circled his tongue. He sucked just the crown into his mouth and gave his tongue free reign as his hand slid down to gently lift and roll John balls.

A moan vibrated through John's chest, suggesting he was at least partially awake.

Rodney sucked down a little further. Then he sucked a finger in along with John's cock. When it was good and wet Rodney slid the finger back to tease John's hole then slip inside. After that he used both finger and mouth in a regular, slow rhythm until John was pushing forward and back as much as Rodney would let him. Moaning became keening. Rodney took pity and sped up, pressing a little more firmly on John's prostate with each thrust. Then John was coming with a sound just short of a scream. Rodney eased him through the aftershocks and then pulled back.

He'd just made his way to pop his head out from under the covers when he heard John pant out, "More."

"More what, John?"

John lay sated and loose on his back, but he shifted one hand to brush against Rodney's hard cock. "In me."

"You sure?" John hadn't ever asked for that after he'd come. If nothing else, Rodney assumed John's touch sensitivity would be cranked too high for anything that intense, and it wasn't like even John was going to have another orgasm that fast.

"Yes, need you in me."

Rodney's cock jumped at the idea. He fumbled open the drawer with the lube and crawled back between John's legs. This time he let the cover fall to the side. They were both warm and sweaty. John looked so debauched lying spent against the sheets that Rodney was worried he couldn't be patient enough to get John prepped. But whatever was going on, he wanted to make it good for his Sentinel.

He started with one finger, barely brushing John's prostate as he watched for a reaction. John seemed to sink even deeper into the bed, the muscles in his arms and shoulders totally relaxed.

Rodney pushed John's legs wider as he added a second finger, and John said, "Yes, more, need you to fill me."

John didn't usually say things like that. It was totally hot to hear it though.

Rodney cock was attentive and eager to get involved. But some part of Rodney's brain was gathering pieces of a puzzle, trying to figure out what John really needed.

He stroked more firmly against John's prostate. John writhed and shivered. He bucked his hips onto Rodney's fingers, pressing them deeper and said, "More."

Rodney added a finger. John pushed against him. "Good, yes, more."

That was all the encouragement Rodney needed. He lubed up his hard leaking cock and pressed inside.

"Yes," John sighed and clenched around Rodney in a way that was almost too much. Rodney sunk into the tight, hotness that was his lover. His lover who seemed desperate for this, letting Rodney see him so needy and open.

Rodney collected himself enough to set a rhythm he could maintain for a while.

John's cock twitched, showing its appreciation but nowhere near ready for a second orgasm this morning. That didn't seem to be what mattered to John. His eyes were closed, his head rubbing into the pillow. Rodney watched with as much love as lust. He wanted to give whatever John needed.

Lifting John's hips up a little, Rodney forced a pillow underneath. Then he bent down to slowly kiss John's relaxed mouth. He'd lost his rhythm in the maneuver but managed to find a new one. John let Rodney's tongue thrust in and out to the same rhythm. When John sucked on his tongue Rodney had to pull back again, wanting to draw things out, wanting to keep John immersed in the sensation he seemed to crave.

When Rodney knew he couldn't last much longer, he pulled John's knees over his shoulders and knelt forward. John moaned as Rodney pushed in deeper and faster. Then Rodney came and rode the aftershocks without pulling away.

"Stay there," John said.

Rodney opened his eyes to see John's half-lidded and gazing at him. "Won't you be sore?"

"Don't care. Want to keep you with me."

Rodney shifted a hand to stroke John's thigh.

"I'm with you no matter what."

"Needed more."

"What else, John? What more than this."

John's eyes opened wide. His expression was soft and unguarded. This wasn't the Sentinel or the military commander. This was a man who needed something from Rodney.

Being needed like that scared Rodney. He meant it when he said he wasn't good with people. Instead, he tried to bring his genius and his problem-solving abilities into play. John had wanted him last night, but not necessarily sexually. John asked for "more" this morning, wanting to be filled, wanting Rodney to stay, wanting to keep Rodney with him.

"You know I'm with you one hundred percent, right?" Rodney tried, but John just blinked at him. That wasn't what he needed to hear. Rodney could feel his body coming down from sex. His cock wasn't going to stay in John much longer, and the position was hard to maintain. "I have to move John. Let me lie down with you."

Rodney pulled out, and John barely cut off a whimper. Pressing the entire length of his body next to John's, Rodney pulled his lover close. "Is there something you're not telling me John? Do you have any idea what's getting to you?"

John snuggled into Rodney, burying his face in Rodney's throat and hair.

"I'll take that as a 'don't know and not up for questions right now.' But don't think I'm giving up on this." In his head he said "on you."

Rodney dozed. He guessed John did too, because it was almost time for their morning briefing when he saw the clock.

"John, it's eight thirty. Time for all good little Lanteans to shower, eat, and rush to a meeting."

John burrowed deeper against Rodney. He clearly wasn't over whatever was troubling him. But a moment later John pulled himself up and got moving on the morning routine.

#

The 0900 senior staff meeting had been expanded to include Teyla, Lorne, Zelenka, and Dr. Ng. They were supposedly discussing priorities for gate teams, but John couldn't get his head in the game and Rodney was strangely quiet. After about an hour of long winded proposals and discussion, Dr. Weir silenced them all. "I think you've all stated your cases very clearly, and I hope in time we'll be able to satisfy all objectives. For now, I'd like our heads of military and science to weigh in."

Weir and Rodney both looked at John. Resisting the urge to straighten up under scrutiny, he instead slumped further into his chair and put on his best casual mask. "On the military side, the Wraith have to be our primary concern. We need intel and if we're in a position to take out Wraith or Wraith ships, that's a bonus. If we come across runners, we can work with the medical and science teams' goals to understand how the Wraith track them and whether some or all runners are Sentinels. If we find Ford, we bring him back and Beckett finds a way to help him. I plan to assign military only teams to these missions. If science wants to prioritize their list of Ancient outposts and anthropology goals, I'll consider mixed military and civilian troops after initial recon. I'm still uncomfortable with Teyla and Lorne taking the kids out for possible Sentinel Guide outreach. After the accusations made about Wraith spawn, and given the vulnerabilities unique to Sentinels, it puts us at a tactical disadvantage to have more people learn about that aspect."

"Glad to see you were paying attention, Colonel," Weir said. "Dr. McKay?"

"Seriously, Radek presented our list of Ancient outposts to visit. They're all top priority. The anthropology could wait." Dr. Ng tried to interrupt, but Rodney waved a hand and talked right over her. "Those busy bodies could spend until the end of time swapping stories with the Athosians. As far as military teams, it's idiotic for a Sentinel to go off world without his Guide, but if my Sentinel wants to be an idiot, I have plenty of other work."

Rodney didn't look at John as he said it. The insults let McKay pretend he didn't care, but all John could think of was Rodney that morning saying, "Do you have any idea what's getting to you?" John would bet Rodney was making this concession to appease him, but it hit John like a spear to the stomach to hear it that way, in a staff meeting.

Then Rodney was saying, "Teyla can probably qualify as military, and we're going to set up for her and maybe Gabi to train scientists who plan to go off world. That and the SGC required firearms certification seem adequate to me." That twisted the spear in John's stomach. But he really didn't know why.

#

The readings from Teyla's lost necklace were Wraith. Gabi was preparing a report to send in the next databurst along with Brett's latest work on Athosian beliefs and the infari spirit animal. As she put the final touches on her diagram comparing the necklace beacon's carrier frequency to readings from the Wraith Darts and Hiveship, McKay came storming into the ZPM room.

"I've got it!" Gabi exclaimed.

"I'm sure I don't want it." McKay dismissed her enthusiasm with a wave. "I want your highest priority to be rekeying this personal shield to protect Sheppard instead. If it takes both of us to charge it, the energy should be transferable." He thrust the device onto her desk and turned to leave.

"The energy isn't the problem. If you read my report on the device, you'd see the interface is programmed to one person as a safety measure. The Ancients either didn't want someone to steal their shield devices or they didn't want anyone to consider sacrificing their life by giving theirs up for someone else. Dr. Kusanagi looked over the programming to confirm. It's built in at the very lowest level."

"That's ridiculous. You're saying we'd have to recreate the interface from scratch? At that point we might as well make our own shields."

"Already working on it."

That stopped McKay in his tracks. Gabi gloried in those moments when she could render her advisor speechless.

He flailed his arms like a windmill and then said, "Why didn't you tell me? I have tons of files from studying the city shield and Jumper shields." He'd grabbed a data pad and started typing as he talked. "Sending now." Finally he looked up. "What have you got so far?"

She glared at him. "I've found other green crystals that respond to the same energy frequencies as the shield and the charging components of the ZPMs. You and Sheppard could feed one the same way you charged the personal shield. I can't make it power a new shield yet, but if you wrapped a piece of clothing you'd worn around it, the vibration combined with smell should keep him grounded when you have to work apart."

"Great, I'll tell him it's a pet rock." McKay scowled.

Gabi smiled sweetly. "Given how hard it was for him to let go of your depleted shield, I think it would be the perfect gift."

McKay was opening his mouth and raising his hands for what was sure to be a convoluted and entertaining diatribe when the door opened and Shane walked in following McKay's beaver. McKay wheeled on him and shouted, "Now what could you possibly contribute to any of this?"

"Me? Your beaver came to get me. He tried to lead me through the door into your room, but I told him I couldn't go in there without you, so he led me here to get you. Have you been ignoring him?"

McKay's face turned red, and Gabi wondered if she'd have to call medical as he pounded a fist against her table. "The universe gave me enough headaches with Ancient physics. Adding spirit animals to the mix is wrong and unfair on so many levels I can't even begin to speculate—"

"Great," said Gabi. "Then why don't we just follow the beaver and deal with whatever he wants?"

The beaver took that as his cue to walk out of the room without a backward glance. Shane, McKay, and Gabi followed.

#

Rodney didn't like letting the kids into his private space, but there was no way to argue with a spirit animal. The infuriating beasts didn't even talk.

The beaver led them to a corner of the living room where a small table held equipment for McKay's amazing customized entertainment system. Stacked on top were a few DVDs and flash drives, a large bowl they'd used for popcorn and forgotten to return to the mess, and a few discarded layers of clothing. Luckily, they were only outer layers, so it wasn't too embarrassing to have his minions see.

At first, Rodney had no idea what the beaver wanted. Then he noticed a patch of black feathers mostly hidden underneath one of his science uniform jackets that had fallen into the popcorn bowl. "Is that John's raven?"

Shane nodded.

"So why is it here? And why did my beaver go to get you?"

"Are you sure the beaver didn't try to get your attention first?"

"I haven't seen any spirit animals since the Wraith Hiveship. I'm sure I would have noticed if that beaver had actually tried to get my attention."

"Yes, I believe so," Shane said. His tone suggested that both Rodney and his spirit animal were capable of making a scene sufficient to garner anyone's attention when they chose, but McKay didn't bother to acknowledge the barb. "I'm going to have to pull the raven out where I can see him better."

With the care of a surgeon, Shane pulled back cloth to touch feathers. When there was no reaction he wrapped his fingers to support the bird's body as he carefully uncovered the rest. The raven cocked his head, fixing one eye to stare at Shane. That at least proved it was awake and aware. Rodney relaxed a little.

Shane sank down to the floor, cradling the bird in his lap. Gabi followed him down. Despite knowing how his back would protest later, Rodney lowered himself to the floor.

Shane's shoulders relaxed, and he looked almost meditative as he focused on the raven and ran a finger carefully along the bird's head and neck. Then he slowly stretched one of the bird's wings and said, "Oh dear, what happened to you?"

Rodney tried to keep quiet as Shane manipulated and stared at the wing for two long minutes. Finally he had to ask, "What did he say?"

Shane carefully folded the wing back and touched it once more with gentle fingertips. "They don't talk, Dr. McKay."

"Then why did you ask it a question?"

"Because they do listen."

Rodney huffed, wanting to rant again about spirit animals but not willing to do it in front of John's injured raven.

"I don't know if they hear our words or what we intend to communicate. Sometimes their actions show me what they want to communicate. Right now, this one isn't giving me much to work with."

At that the beaver came and perched his forefeet on Shane's crossed ankles. From there the beaver carefully stretched his neck to lay his head beside the raven.

Shane made a gentle laughing sound that was barely more than a breath. "That I understand. Where do you want the new nest to be?"

The beaver deftly scrambled up onto the sofa. He worked his way into a corner and pushed a pillow to lie opposite his body, enclosing a raven-sized space. Shane rose and settled the raven so he was nestled safely along the beaver's body.

"Will that fix whatever's wrong?" Rodney asked.

"You've seen the scars on Blair and Gabi's spirit animals, right?"

"Uh, I guess so." Rodney vaguely remembered the wolf and aardvark looking sort of scruffy, but he'd never really thought about it. "Wait, Gabi's aardvark was hurt healing Brett. But I'd know about anything like that with my Sentinel."

"It's harder to see on an animal with feathers, but the raven's injury doesn't look quite that bad. Something that's happening to Colonel Sheppard, probably mental or spiritual, resonated enough in the spirit plane to hurt his raven. As a shaman, I would be glad to guide you on a spirit walk if you can't figure out what's wrong. But I know that's not something you're especially comfortable with. I'd suggest you focus on your Sentinel. The bird is being very passive and did not take action to help himself. That's a clue, and it probably means that at least to begin with, the burden of initiative falls to you. If you need help, I'm happy to work with you, or with you and Sheppard both. Whatever you may think of me, I am the Shaman of Atlantis. I intend to be the best shaman I can be."

"Shaman of Atlantis? Wonderful, put it on a business card. And you," he pointed toward Gabi, "Work with Teyla to set up a self-defense class for scientists. She says you have a black belt in something. Now shoo, both of you. I have a Sentinel to sort out."

#

Gabi couldn't help laughing once McKay's door closed behind them. "He told us to 'shoo.' I wonder what the raven thought of that."

"I shouldn't have told him I was the Shaman of Atlantis."

Gabi took Shane's hand and squeezed. She kept hold as they walked down the hall. "But you are, aren't you? It's what you were meant to be. That's why my father activated part of the key and gave it to you. Hey, I guess that means you have my father's blessing."

"I'd rather have his daughter's blessing." Shane bumped gently against her upper arm and shoulder as they walked.

"Patience, Padawan. I think I'm almost ready for a first date."

"Oh really, and what would you want from a first date?" His heartbeat raced as they stepped into the transporter.

Gabi tried not to laugh as she pressed for the exit nearest the ZPM room. "I think dinner and a movie is traditional. I'm not sure yet if I'm the sort of girl who kisses on the first date."

"Is tonight too soon?"

Gabi's heart sped up at that. "I guess. Okay, yes."

"I'll pick you up from your office at six."

Gabi bit her lips and nodded as she exited the transporter.

#

It took Rodney half an hour to find John. He seemed to regard his posted schedule as optional. What he meant by "overseeing patrols" turned out to be sparing with Teyla.

For a while Rodney just watched. The door and bench were outside John's line of sight, and Teyla didn't acknowledge if she'd seen Rodney. What they were doing was both graceful and hot. People with near perfect bodies and well developed muscles looked pretty great lunging, swinging, and generally using those muscles.

A few minutes after Rodney arrived, Teyla lunged and swung. John didn't dodge or block fast enough. She hit his thigh with a stick and followed through by kicking his legs out from under him. When he landed on his back Teyla straddled him and held her sticks by his neck.

"You need focus," Teyla said calmly, as if they hadn't been going at each other a moment before.

John gasped a bit, clearly catching his breath, but managed to get out, "I've been told that before."

Teyla pulled off, stood, and offered her hand to help him up.

"Go again?" he asked.

"I believe someone is waiting for you." She nodded in Rodney's direction.

"Oh, hey there," John said to Rodney. Then he turned back to Teyla, "Thank you."

They leaned sweaty foreheads together.

As John and Rodney walked back to their quarters John said, "Not my best showing."

"Are you kidding? I can't believe I asked that warrior princess to teach me and other scientists who want to go off world. One attack like that and the whole class will flee in terror."

"I'm pretty sure she'll go easy on you. It sounds like most of her previous teaching with sticks has been for Athosian kids."

"So you're saying she'll treat us like kids?" Rodney huffed.

John rolled his eyes. "You know she was totally going easy on me back there? She could have taken me down in a second but waited until I missed something I shouldn't."

"Some of us don't respond well to physical discomfort."

"I would never have guessed," John drawled as they entered their quarters.

John's eyes lit immediately on the spirit animals nesting on their sofa. "I guess they're not waiting for a movie night."

"No," Rodney shifted foot to foot, not sure how to approach the issue with John. He settled for the direct approach. "Your spirit animal is hurt. Mine went and dragged in the shaman kid, who's now calling himself the Shaman of Atlantis by the way. He said something was hurting you enough to damage your raven's wing."

John's head dropped to his chest. "Oh shit."

"So you have some idea?"

"None at all."

Rodney reached out a hand to rub circles on John's back. The sweat had mostly dried, so it wasn't too bad. "Not that I'm complaining," when John didn't snark at that remark, Rodney filled in for him, "Which is a rarity I admit, but you weren't yourself last night or this morning. You must have some idea."

"I think this is myself. You just haven't known me that long."

"But it's enough to hurt your raven."

"I didn't have the raven before. Now I'm screwing it all up." The again went unspoken, but Rodney heard it.

"When have you felt like this before?"

"Rodney." John turned to him with his face scrunched up in pain, "You know I suck at the talking stuff."

"Would you rather talk to Heightmeyer?"

"Shrinks never helped before."

"Our beneficent Shaman of Atlantis offered to lead us on a spirit walk if we couldn't figure it out."

John shivered, and Rodney felt it through the hand still rubbing John's increasingly taut back.

"Maybe you should just read my files," John said.

"You want me to hack into your files because it's easier than actually talking?"

Rather than cringing, John nodded and tried to smirk. "Yep. But I didn't say to hack in. I'm sure Beckett has some release I can sign to give you access."

"Trust me, hacking in will be simpler and net more results. But I'm only doing this on one condition." John rolled his eyes, but Rodney continued. "I'll get you a copy of my complete records, too. As my Sentinel, you should know these things. Maybe you can find a way to detect when my blood sugar is low. Despite some people's jokes about my hypoglycemia, I assure you it is a very real and dangerous medical condition."

"Fine McKay, I'll read yours if you read mine," John sing-songed.

Rodney doubted the little shaman would approve of their methodology, but Rodney had to work with the skills he and his Sentinel had. "Good, I'll take care of that right away. You should take a shower."

Like a move from his fight with Teyla, John managed to turn and pin Rodney to the wall before he could react. "You don't like seeing me all sweaty?" John practically cooed as he rubbed his whole body up against his Guide.

"You remind me of a cat, not a bird." In retrospect, mentioning a bird when John's spirit animal was suffering was a bit tactless.

The mood was broken and John turned away toward the shower. "You'd never send a cat away to take a shower."

Rodney was left alone in their living room. Except the spirit animals were there, and his beaver gave him a look that Rodney couldn't interpret at all. He decided the best option when uncertain was to work. The first item on his to do list was hacking those files.

#

Gabi had a hard time focusing. Most of her work for the day involved writing up and proofreading reports on all her alien power supply data. It was fascinating work, and she was proud of it. But her upcoming date with Shane kept distracting her.

When he finally walked into her office at six, Shane was dressed just the same as when dealing with the beaver and raven earlier. Both of them being in regular clothes and going to get dinner was strangely reassuring. They did this every day.

Shane led her to Brett's room, which they used as a living room lately. Only now it held two chairs and a card table covered with a lace table cloth. On top of the table were two sets of silverware, two glasses of water, and a lit taper candle.

"Oh," Gabi said, "I wasn't expecting this."

Shane smiled and pulled out a chair for her.

"Okay, thanks, but I think that's as much of the girl role in this as I can take."

"We can reinvent or change any part," Shane said. "I don't think there are girl or boy roles for the rest, but remember that you decide what happens. I think I'm going to enjoy dating on whatever terms you like."

"What about Brett?"

He entered as if his name had summoned him. There was a towel over his left arm and a covered tray balanced on his right. "For now, I play the part of your waiter. Welcome to Château Brett. We serve only the finest fare from the mess."

With that he set a plate in front of Gabi. It had one of her favorite mess hall options, beef stroganoff with rice. Carrots and broccoli had been arranged in an alternating pattern to form a border. Shane was served the same but with the brussel sprouts he preferred in place of the broccoli. Then Brett set out a small plate with salad and a small bowl with Jell-O for each of them. "I should be off duty as waiter by seven if you want to call me for the movie. Or let me know if you want anything else." Brett smirked.

"Thanks," Gabi said.

"Thanks, Brett," Shane said with a soft smile.

Brett nodded like a proper waiter and left.

Gabi took a bite of her salad and tried to think of something to say. Usually conversation came easily around Shane and Brett. "Is this supposed to point out that we haven't spent much time talking with just the two of us?"

Shane smiled but the corners of his mouth looked sad. "It's not supposed to be anything. I've never even been on a date before, so I have no expectations."

"I think by virtue of being a first date it may imply expectations and maybe even awkwardness and first time jitters."

"So why did you ask for a first date?"

"Stupid cultural expectations maybe?"

"Then tell me, when you think about dating, or maybe when you first imagined dating when you were younger, which parts sounded good to you?"

Gabi thought about it as she sampled her carrots, broccoli, and stroganoff. Everything tasted good. And the candle was a nice touch. "Well, I always liked anything that involved food."

Shane smiled but didn't say anything. She knew he was waiting her out, and for once that seemed like a good thing.

"I guess the idea of two people wanting to be with each other, choosing and being chosen, having someone's full attention, imagining some connection." She laughed. "But we had a connection before we even met, through the spirit plane and the key to Atlantis. You said you saved yourself for me and Brett. I kind of both love and hate that idea. You know I've done some stuff, but now I think none of it happened the way it was supposed to. I wish I'd known about you. If I'd skipped the other bits it would have been better for both of us."

Shane reached his right hand across the table. "Is holding hands a good part of dating?"

"We should finish eating first."

He offered his left hand instead and picked up his fork with his right. "I can eat American style and then we can still eat while holding left hands."

"Well, I guess it's a good start on making it up our own way. I like the candle, too. Do you think I have some strange attraction to power sources?"

"I think you like to know where power comes from and how it's used."

"You're doing that double meaning thing again, aren't you? Is that a shaman thing?"

They went on in that vein, alternating between serious and somewhat silly throughout the meal. Gabi learned Shane's thoughts on the various shamans he'd met or trained with. She shared her opinions on the menagerie of animals and the woman she'd had a crush on who had once shared Gabi's dorm room.

At seven Brett joined them, and they watched _The Princess Bride_. They sat with Shane in the middle on the mattress and pillows that served as a couch. It was also Brett's backup bed if he ever wanted to sleep alone, which he hadn't since they'd moved their original three mattresses into Shane's room.

They'd all seen the movie before. Brett and Gabi had shared it with Shane as part of their cultural canon. As they sat squished tightly together with Shane holding hands with them both, Gabi thought maybe it was destined to be "their movie." Then she thought about how much cultural baggage she seemed to carry about first dates, relationships, and so on.

By the time the movie was harping on about "true love" Gabi couldn't think of anything missing from what she felt for Shane and Brett, although her feelings for both were all tangled up together. She didn't know how she would be with one of them if the other was taken away. She'd gotten around to wondering how they'd be without her when Brett reached across Shane to hit her with a pillow.

"You're thinking too loud, eat some candy," Brett said.

Shane passed her an unopened bag of M&Ms, and she wondered which of them had thought to pack M&Ms. She did the honors and started the bag. Then she passed it around to share. Shane took her hand back as soon as she'd finished with the candy. His thumb made circles on her palm, and she tried to enjoy that touch and the movie and not worry about other things.

Gabi thought the end of the movie would be the best time to kiss Shane, but it ended up feeling too forced. Then she felt sad that she hadn't.

"Am I supposed to walk you home?" Shane asked.

"For once you sound as uncertain as I am," Gabi replied. "Can we just hang out for a bit? I kind of do want to kiss you, but the whole date thing is starting to feel a little overwhelming."

"I like hanging out with you anytime," Shane said. He squeezed her hand and his thumb was circling again.

"Should I stay or go?" Brett asked.

Gabi suddenly realized that while holding hands throughout the movie was as much as she and Shane ever did, for Shane and Brett it had meant holding back from the creeping hands and kissing they often drifted into lately. She lifted her calf across Shane's to give Brett a playful kick. "I wish the three of us could be together without ever having to ask stuff like that."

"We'll get there," Brett said leaning back farther into the pillows. "I bet by our fifth anniversary we'll be casual about all sorts of stuff."

"When do we count our anniversaries from?" Gabi asked.

"July eleventh," Shane said without hesitation.

"The day we met?"

"The day we touched, we tickled, we started planning our futures together." Shane spoke as if it were obvious and easy. Suddenly Gabi realized it was.

"You're right," she said. Then she leaned in, lifting her free hand to touch the side of Shane's face. His heart raced. That made Gabi smile as she touched her lips to his.

The touch was electric, but she wanted a real kiss. Her tongue darted out to touch Shane's lower lip. They were still holding hands on one side, but Shane's other hand came to rest on her back. He didn't force her closer, but somehow their lips were now fully together and wetter. He tasted like chocolate and uniquely like Shane.

Gabi's world twisted inside out. Her connection to Shane was like a touch that ran all the way through them both. Her skin tingled but there was more of her, as if she'd spun a thousand connections between herself and Shane but none of them had come fully alive until now. Their bond had been incomplete, and Gabi hadn't even realized it.

She heard Shane's heartbeat, and it vibrated through her in a way it hadn't quite before. She realized that his smell was nervous and sweaty tonight, but it didn't matter because so much of his own fresh outdoorsy smell overlaid it. Gabi wanted to apologize for not realizing how much she'd been holding back, but the thought was lost as the kiss became tongues exploring each other's mouths. Shane knew better what to try, but Gabi took her turn with each discovery. After a while she wasn't sure where the first kiss had ended or how many kisses they'd shared. Her lips felt tender. Her mouth lit up with sensations she hadn't known she had sense receptors to detect. But what she held onto was knowing Shane's mouth in that way. Whatever she'd thought she'd learned from her befuddling past sexual experiences, she'd known nothing about intimacy until that kiss. And there was something more. She had a gut feeling for Shane, for what it was to be an outsider, to follow the shaman's path, to make oneself vulnerable as a necessity for greater acceptance. Rather than fearing she might intrude on Shane and Brett's relationship, she realized they needed her as part of something larger.

When she noticed her eyes were closed she opened them. The room was darker than she remembered. The computer screensaver must have shifted to black. Her head was resting against Shane's neck and shoulder. His heart was beating fast, but not as fast as it had been. His arm was holding her close. She squeezed the hand she still held and hugged him around the neck with her other arm.

When they both pulled back a ways, she saw Brett leaning against the wall watching them. He looked happy and maybe a little aroused. She carefully kept her sense of smell low enough to not find out more.

"We hadn't completely bonded before." The words came out of Gabi's mouth before she realized she was going to speak.

"I know. Shane set up your detector in case you wanted the readings." Brett pointed to the corner where it must have been running all along.

"You can keep them or not," Shane said. "I figured you didn't need one more thing to worry about today."

"Thanks." She rubbed her cheek against his neck and breathed in an herbal scent from his hair. "I think the part of first dates where people do that before leaving someone on a doorstep sounds awful. I don't want to let go of you."

"Luckily, we started sleeping together first," Shane said just above her ear.

"And now there can be cuddling with kisses, or would that be too much?" Gabi asked.

Shane shivered and sighed. "At some point we're all going to be making out, and I'm going to end up having sex with Brett. That sounds good and right to me now, but what about you?"

"I'd be fine with you two having sex tonight so long as I could stay nearby and at least have a hand on one of you afterward." She didn't realize how much her senses were focused on Shane until another set of arms wrapped around, embracing both her and Shane.

#

By the time they all made it into bed, Brett had himself mostly under control. Jerking off in the bathroom had been the easy part. He'd never claimed to be a perfect Kinsey six. Watching Shane and Gabi kiss had been hot. He was pretty sure it affected him on some bonding or energy level as well, but he could never sort that stuff without Gabi or Shane to talk it through, and they'd both been caught up in themselves. What he did know was that hearing them talk afterward about how it would be when Shane and Brett finally had sex had been intensely emotionally and sexually charged for him. Jerking off had eased back his arousal for the moment, but he still felt thrown open emotionally. Brett had never loved anyone the way he loved these two. He wanted them close and touching and caring for each other.

He slid under the covers. Shane was lying on his back in the center with Gabi nestled along his far side. Her head and arm were on Shane's chest. Brett set himself up the same way on his side. His arm slid along the length of Gabi's. Then he couldn't help petting her arm, the soft skin inside her elbow and down to her wrist.

Gabi made a small mewling sound and shifted closer. As her body moved against Shane he shivered. Brett felt that shiver all along his body. He couldn't stop his hand stroking Gabi's arm from trailing fingers across Shane's chest in passing. Shane pushed up into the touch.

"Someone kiss me, please," Shane said.

Brett lifted his head and caught Gabi's eyes. Seeing she was wanting, he nodded.

Then Gabi was kissed Shane again. Her arm slid farther across Shane's chest until her fingers reached Brett's sleeping tee. Her fingers curled into the fabric, and even if there wasn't any bonding this time, Brett was part of it.

Shane's body wriggled as the kiss lengthened. He made breathy panting noises. Brett could imagine what he was feeling, being kissed like that with two warm bodies pressed in on either side of him. If they were already having sex, Brett would have slid his hand to Shane's cock, given him something to rub against. Instead, Brett felt his own erection growing against Shane's hip. It felt good, but he shifted to an angle where he wouldn't be tempted to thrust. He'd gotten used to this with all of them sleeping together. A couple years back he would have found both Shane and Gabi's self-denial incomprehensible. That sort of slow build and frustration didn't usually appeal to him any more than female anatomy did. But Shane and Gabi mattered to him in ways that opened him up to whatever they needed.

When Gabi pulled back from kissing Shane, she rested on her elbow, face turned sideways and above Shane. Brett lifted his head from Shane's chest, eyes drawn to Gabi's. She looked peaceful in a way he'd never seen. Some of it was bliss and pleasure. Some part was what they both found in Shane, a sureness that tethered them to each other and made everything easier to bear. In that moment it was like the same breath flowed through all of them.

"Can I kiss you, Gabi? Just a little?" Brett asked.

She nodded and leaned forward, eyes still locked on his. Brett shifted so that part of his weight was supported on his elbow and part on Shane's body. From the corner of his eye, he could see Shane's eyes half open and the corners of his lips twitch up. Then Brett was kissing Gabi. Wet lips slid easily against each other and clung just enough. He may have touched his tongue to her lip. Hers definitely flicked out for a moment, but neither of them was pushing for more. They were together, connected, intimate.

And Shane was with them, between them, beneath them. Brett drifted back a few inches and all three of them were breathing in rhythm.

Then they snuggled back down, holding Shane, holding each other. Parts of Brett that remembered other bed partners briefly rallied for more. But gradually they all calmed. Brett thought the other two were asleep by the time he drifted off.

His dreams were all over the place: the jungle, the beach, the ocean. They were all erotic even if he couldn't remember details.

When he woke to a hard body shifting against him, chest to chest and groin to groin, Brett tried to tell himself it was just another dream. But there was an annoying rub of seams and elastic from the sweatpants he slept in these days. Brett didn't dream with details like that.

He wrapped his arms around Shane's shifting body and whispered, "Calm down, I think you're dreaming."

"I'm awake, well, now I am." Shane answered. His body stilled, but his erection was resting right next to Brett's own. It was very hard to stay still. "Can we do this now?"

Brett couldn't stop his body from making one small thrust at that.

Shane moaned quietly, far back in his throat.

"Are you sure?" Brett asked. "Are you awake enough to know if you really want this now?"

"I want you. This feels right to me. Doesn't it feel right to you?"

Brett huffed out a breath. "You could have had me anytime. I trust you to know what's right. What about Gabi?"

A sleep rough voice from somewhere on the far side of the bed said, "Whatever you two do will be right. Just let me know if you need more room or anything."

"Yes." Shane rocked his hips forward and pulled Brett into a kiss. Brett had to imagine his middle school principal for a minute to hold himself back. If they were doing this, he wanted it to be good. The kiss alone was driving him crazy. Going slow meant Shane had plenty of practice at kissing Brett senseless. Shane's clever tongue eased into his mouth and slid behind his teeth. Soon their tongues were stroking and twisting around each other. Brett tried to take charge, to ease them back a bit, but Shane kept pushing his buttons.

Finally Brett rolled them so he was on top, then he pulled back to force some space between their bodies. Shane bucked up, and Brett had to sit on his thighs to keep him down.

Shane tried to sit up. Brett stroked large circles on Shane's chest, soothing and holding him down.

Shane groaned in frustration. "More. I need."

"I know," Brett said. "Trust me? I won't make you wait too long."

Shane whined and wriggled but didn't object. Brett leaned forward and sucked a nipple through the white tee Shane wore to bed. Shane pressed into the sensation and was panting by the time Brett pulled off. "I think it's time we both lose some clothes."

Shane nodded. His eyes opened wider as Brett removed his shirt. Shane traced a hand up Brett's arm and down his chest. When he brushed a nipple Brett sucked in air. His nipples were very sensitive. Shane gently petted two fingers around and across first one nipple then the other. Brett moaned, and Shane reached to pull his own shirt off. Brett moved to help and started kissing each inch of bare skin as it was exposed.

Shane practically writhed under the attention. His hands lost coordination and he flopped them above his head.

Brett took his time. He sucked and licked each nipple until it was hard and pointing up. He kissed across the collar bone and up one arm as he finally finished removing Shane's shirt. Then he sat back on Shane's thighs and stroked his hands along Shane's sides admiring his dark smooth skin. He traced ribs in to the center. Circling on Shane's abs Brett kept his touches light and barely there. When he tucked his fingers under the waistband of the boxers Shane slept in, Shane's whole body arched. Brett rocked forward enough to let their cocks touch through two layers of cloth. Shane moaned and fisted his hands, but he didn't try to speed things up. Brett was pretty sure he was giving Shane what both of them needed, even if it was hard to wait.

He pulled down the boxers and for the first time saw Shane's hard cock in all its glory. Brett thought it was perfect. He'd never been with anyone so dark skinned before and most of the guys back home had been circumcised. Shane's cock didn't look strained or red or angry. It looked like a perfect part of Shane's body standing proud and full. The tip glistened with precome. The base was surrounded by thick dark curls.

Brett traced his thumb lightly from between the balls, up the vein, to the slit at the top. Shane practically howled, and Brett knew it was time to get moving. He pulled Shane's boxers the rest of the way off.

As he shucked his own sweatpants he caught Gabi's eyes. She was lying on her side, watching. The blankets still covered up to her neck, so Brett couldn't tell where her hands might be. He wanted to reach out and touch her, include her in some way, but now wasn't the time. She raised her eyebrows and smiled at him, and he finished getting naked and climbed back on top of Shane.

#

The smells of arousal and of the two people she loved best swamped Gabi, even though her smell dial was set at what she thought was a normal level. She could have dialed it down further, but that seemed like a denial of what she'd been asked to witness. On some level, they were all in this together. The sounds of the guys panting, their rapid heartbeats, and occasional moans stirred Gabi's own arousal. The people she loved were loving each other. It was everything touch and sex were meant to be.

Then Shane was naked. He was beautiful. But the way Brett looked at him made it something more. Words like cherish and worship converged in Gabi's head. It was one of those things she knew Brett would say defied words.

Gabi watched Brett stroke just his thumb from Shane's balls to the wet tip of his cock. When Shane howled, Gabi's body responded. She shoved a hand between her own legs, just holding it there, needing the pressure.

When Brett looked at her it was surreal, like being pulled into a painting. She smiled in curiosity, and he removed the rest of his clothing and climbed back up Shane. Brett's skin looked even paler against Shane than it had under Gabi's own hands. A line of distinct contrast traced where their bodies pressed together. But they moved as one being.

Brett kissed Shane carefully, letting Shane take in the sensations of so much skin on skin. Gabi's skin tingled empathically. Brett rocked his body gently then lifted to support almost all his own weight, as if playing with pressure and friction. He kissed along Shane's jaw and down his throat, nibbling at the morning stubble, sucking on the Adam's apple. Brett licked the hollow at the base of Shane's throat and then licked his way down to Shane's nipples.

Shane rolled and squirmed. Gabi hadn't realized anyone's nipples could trigger that, let alone a guy's. But she'd seen Brett almost fall apart before, when Shane had barely touched Brett's nipples. She wondered if the guys who'd manipulated her into giving them hand jobs or pushed for blowjobs in the past had ever known anything like this. Realizing they probably hadn't almost made her feel sorry for them.

Then Shane started keening, a high noise from the top of his throat. Brett slid down to take Shane's cock in his mouth. Gabi was suddenly riding the edge with them. There was no doubt in her mind that the three of them were meant to be together this way.

Brett eased up and down in a slow easy rhythm. Gabi let her fingers work faster, right on her clitoris, exactly as she liked it. Brett eased off and licked up the shaft, around the head. Shane was panting and trembling with his eyes closed. Brett held him there as long as possible. How Brett knew without Sentinel senses, Gabi couldn't guess. But what Brett was doing was caring and perfect. She came watching Brett make an art of something she'd never thought to enjoy.

#

Brett heard a hitched breath from Gabi's side of the bed. He hoped she was enjoying the show but didn't have the brain cells to think much further. Shane's cock was wide and heavy on his tongue. Shane tasted salty and male and uniquely like Shane. The way he moaned and shivered drove Brett right to the edge. The only thing keeping Brett focused was knowing that Shane had never given himself this way to anyone before. Brett held on and made it last so he could be there for Shane. If this experience shattered them, he'd put them both back together.

Then Shane was pulling at Brett's shoulders, tugging ineffectually at his hair. If Shane didn't think he should come in Brett's mouth, then he had another think coming. Brett loved the taste of Shane. He loved having Shane's cock finally in his mouth.

"Please—up here—with me." Shane's words sounded wrecked. Brett realized what Shane wanted, and if he wanted it that badly then Brett did too.

He surged up Shane's body, lining their cock up together by instinct. Skin to skin, mouth to mouth, tongues stroking together. Brett knew neither of them could last. This was everything. He reached a hand between them. Shane's cock was still wet all over. Both of them were leaking precome. Brett wrapped his hand to hold their cocks together, wet enough to let them just thrust as they had been for a few beats. Then he twisted his hand and used his thumb. A little speed and pressure and both of them were coming.

It seemed to last forever. Every inch of Brett's body shook as if he truly was shattering into a thousand pieces. And Shane was right there with him for every bit of it. Brett had enjoyed a lot of good sex, but never before had he cared so much. Never had he felt so connected to the person he was with.

When both of them had shivered through the aftershocks Brett let his hand slip to Shane's hip. He waited while the shattered pieces fit back into place for both him and Shane. Then he eased back to Shane's side where he'd fallen asleep the night before. Shane's heartbeat pounded where Brett rested his cheek, and Brett felt the same pulse in his body.

After a bit, Brett heard Gabi walk to the bathroom, run water, and walk back. He opened his eyes to find her kneeling on the other side of Shane. She reached out to give Brett a wet washcloth cupped in both her hands to keep it warm. He smiled and took it to clean both Shane and himself.

Shane opened his eyes while being washed and stared up at both Brett and Gabi with awed eyes and slightly parted lips.

Gabi snuggled back on her side. Brett tossed the washcloth on the floor and found his place, matching his arm to Gabi's along Shane's chest as they all went back to sleep.

#

Reading John's files, and dealing with random idiots interrupting, kept Rodney in the lab well past dinnertime. His Sentinel's medical records alone were terrifying. It was amazing the man could walk, and a couple of incidents spoke between the lines of hazing or torture that probably connected to John's unsuccessful experiences with psychologists. Rodney found it ridiculous that John almost faced dishonorable discharge for going against what was clearly a stupid order. Of course John would go back to rescue his team. That was an integral part of what made a good commander and Sentinel. Rodney may have limited people skills and have known the man for less than a year, but most of the things John had been reprimanded for in the military were basically John protecting others or sticking up for what he believed in. It was all integral to who John was, and John was fundamentally good.

Rodney tried to see the negative side, tried to see where John had felt whatever he was feeling now. In his place, Rodney would have been pissed off and let everyone know it. John somehow twisted it into disinterest in sex and then being very needy in bed. Rodney couldn't make any sense of that.

He suspected John hadn't been referring to sex when he said he was being himself. Rodney tried to figure out how John had seen himself just before he met Rodney and found out he had the ATA gene and the full Sentinel package. John had been exiled to Antarctica as punishment for trying to rescue his team against orders. And his team had died. Based on what social scientists like Sandburg called research, a Sentinel might feel very conflicted after failing to protect his tribe. If John had been a Sentinel when he lost his team in Afganistan, that might have caused damage to his spirit animal.

Rodney's brain hurt from trying to think about Sentinel studies and people's emotions as if they were science. Even if John might have reacted in some ways like a Sentinel before he knew he was one, that didn't explain the thing with the bird now. John had rescued everyone from the Wraith. The Athosians had lost their village and Ford was off someplace acting crazy, but there was no logical way to connect that to an injured wing on John's raven.

"Good reading?" John's voice caused Rodney to jump half out of his chair. John caught him with one hand while setting a tray of food on the desk with his other.

"No one had seen you in the mess, so I figured I should bring you something, what with your hypoglycemia and all."

"So you read my files?" Rodney asked as he settled back in his chair and pulled a plate of spaghetti close enough to eat. The military cooks cut the pasta short to limit the splatter, and Rodney liked the way their sauce was basically smooth with no identifiable vegetable components.

John leaned a hip against the desk and rubbed a hand behind his neck. "I sort of skimmed for the useful bits. I didn't know they'd have records going back to when you were eleven. Did you really design your own bomb?"

"It was just a demonstration model. Not like I had access to radioactive materials then. That was pre-internet you know."

John's smile was weak. "About ready to call it a night? Or have you decided not to associate with me after reading my history?"

"Seriously, your military is full of idiots." Rodney started shutting down his machine in between the last bites of spaghetti. "Sandburg would probably say you acted as a Sentinel even before the senses activated. In your place, I probably would have screamed at every CO who ever complained about you."

"With that attitude, you wouldn't have been in the Air Force long enough for it to come up more than once."

"Exactly." Rodney picked up the piece of garlic bread and a brownie that were all that remained on his tray. "Let's go home."

John picked up the tray. "We can return this to the mess on the way."

"Oh, in that case…" Rodney used the hand holding his brownie to motion toward his lunch dishes, half buried under a schematic that was wrong, wrong, wrong. John shook his head and added the plates from earlier to the tray.

By the time they'd dropped off dishes and reached their quarters, Rodney was finished eating. "Okay, there's going to have to be some talking. Would you prefer the living room or in bed?"

John glanced at their spirit animals still huddled on the sofa. Then he led the way into the bedroom, stripped with military efficiency, and climbed into bed. "Let's get it over with."

"Oh, that's really what I want to hear with you lying there naked." Rodney rolled his eyes and stomped to the bathroom. "I have to brush my teeth."

When he made it into bed, John hadn't moved, and his muscles were tense as steel cable. "How about I give you a backrub?" Rodney offered.

"I won't be able to relax until we get through whatever talking you've decided on."

"I'd rather be having sex, you know. I'm doing this for you."

"I know." John's lack of emotional inflection made him sound upset.

Rodney wished he had Sentinel sight, because the room was too dark for him to see much of anything. He turned sideways so he was facing John and could rest a hand on his chest. That gave him John's silhouette and heart rate, in case they were any help in deciphering his Sentinel's problem.

"How much are you upset by what happened with Ford?" Rodney asked.

John's heart sped up a bit, but there was no other reaction as far as Rodney could see. "It bothers me that we have no idea how to find him. We're tracking some leads on Wraith worshippers tomorrow, but I don't expect that to lead us to Ford."

"What about the whole Wraith situation?"

"It sucks, but I don't see how that would hurt me or my spirit animal specifically."

"You and me both." Rodney snorted. "I hate to say it, but maybe we should ask the shaman kid for help. This isn't the sort of problem I know how to solve."

John pulled him close and settled his arms around them. "You shouldn't have to. Let's give it a day. Maybe something will happen tomorrow and the bird will just get better."

"That's your plan? Wait and see? And why haven't I heard anything about this mission tomorrow?"

"It's military," John said. His heartbeat picked up like when Rodney mentioned Ford.

"I said I didn't have to go if it made you uncomfortable. But as your Guide and as senior staff, I should know when you'll be gone. Besides, I have an idea that might help. We'll have to go by Gabi's lab tomorrow morning."

"Did you make me something that can kill Wraith in one shot?"

"Give it time," Rodney mentally added that to his to do list. "We haven't figured out how to make personal shields yet, but Gabi has similar crystals. She thought if you and I charged one and wrapped it in clothing I've worn, it might help ground you with scent and vibration while you're away."

"It's a porta-Guide."

"No, no, no!" Rodney tried to pull away, but John held him tight. "It's a glorified pet rock, and if you ever call it something reminiscent of smelly toilets again, you will be showering in cold water for weeks."

"Not if I shower with you."

"Oh, shut up. Do you want a back rub or not?"

#

Gabi was surprised the next morning when she checked the energy detector readings from the night before. She called Shane and Brett to her office using the Sentinel Guide radio channel. When they arrived she had the entire run of the detector set to show across the width of her screen. At that size it was almost meaningless as data, which seemed only fair if she was going to ask the guys if they wanted their data deleted.

She couldn't blank her screen fast enough when McKay and Sheppard piled through on Brett and Shane's heels.

"I am not—" McKay stopped in the middle of whatever he was shouting at Sheppard. "What did you just hide on your screen?"

"Nothing. It's private," Gabi answered.

"It looked like an energy reading. How can that be private? What sort of emergency are you degree-less hooligans engineering?"

Gabi put her hands on her hips. "I have a master's and two bachelor's degrees. Brett has a bachelor's. Hooligan is a basically archaic word, but I'm fairly certain none of us would meet any definition. If you harass any of us over personal matters, I will file enough human resources paperwork to distract you from at least five hours that you would rather spend on research. Now, what brings you to my office?"

"We want to make a porta—" Sheppard began.

"Pet rock, as we discussed. And don't imagine you can hide anything from me." McKay scowled.

"I'm only using the laptop screen as a display right now. And I can think of at least three ways to physically destroy the storage medium for the dataset in question and another one that I would otherwise share, despite having a personal right not to."

McKay's eyes flicked between Gabi and the gadgets on her desk.

"I can destroy faster than you can reach my keyboard. If you take a step back from my personal space, I'll happily give you the crystal you requested." She smiled.

McKay sputtered.

Sheppard asked McKay, "Are all your professional relationships this confrontational?"

"She's stubborn and argumentative."

"I believe I was the first to point out how much the two of you have in common. Now step back, and we'll get to the kissing part." Sheppard practically dragged McKay with him to where they'd charged the personal shield before.

Gabi pulled out a crystal and passed it to Shane to pass to them. "Do you mind if I take readings again?"

"Go ahead," Sheppard said.

"I—We don't actually need to do this here. Why don't we—" Sheppard raised a single eyebrow and puckered up like a teenage pop star. "Oh, fine."

Gabi flicked on the tuning frequency for the crystal and adjusted the detector. McKay and Sheppard kissed while clasping the crystal between their hands. Brett stepped a little closer to Shane and laid a not so subtle hand on his ass.

When Sheppard finally stepped away from the kiss, he took in the boys' positions with a glance and smirked at them.

McKay caught the smirk. He turned to see what caused it. Then all of a sudden he was walking toward Gabi. "That's what you meant by personal. But how did you end up recording something without asking first? What sort of deviant sex lives do you three have?"

Sheppard pressed up against McKay's back and placed a hand over his mouth. "I'm sorry, whatever you just said must have been distorted by strange air currents in this room, because otherwise there really would be more human relations paperwork than any of us want to deal with." Sheppard smiled over McKay's shoulder. "Thanks for the help with the crystal. We'll just be going now."

"That was strange," Brett said when the two squabbling men had left.

"McKay's just like that," Gabi said as she brought up the single screen display she'd blanked when McKay had entered. "He was right about the data, and I guess our sex lives do count as deviant. I'm pretty sure two guys having sex is already one standard deviation out, and with me watching? Not to mention things we might want to try in the future? I bet we can get three standard deviations out in no time. And that's before we even talk about how we generate vibration and energy readings in these encounters."

"Okay, having the least experience with your detection device," Brett started while pointing at the display, "Are you saying this extra bump on the graph at one in the morning was caused by Shane and me?"

"That's my current hypothesis. Did anyone notice the time?" Gabi asked.

The three of them looked at each other and then they all burst out laughing.

Brett calmed down first and held out one hand to Shane and the other to Gabi. "So when the two of you kissed and bonded or whatever, I thought I felt some echo of what happened when Gabi first licked me, just after we learned about bonding. What happened with Shane was amazing, but it didn't feel like that, and it wouldn't really make sense. I mean, it's not like we hadn't kissed before."

"So you think something else caused an unexplained energy spike near our room last night?" Gabi asked. "I guess if neither of you object to me looking at the data, I could figure out the type of energy from the frequency spectrum and timing of overlap. But I think I still want your permission, because at a glance, those two energy spikes look very similar."

Shane took Gabi's hand, completing their circle. "I want you to look at it, and I'm pretty sure I know what you'll find."

"Yeah, permission, yada yada," Brett said. "Let's look."

Gabi hesitated, "I'd kind of like to hear Shane's hypothesis first."

"What I'm fairly certain of as a shaman, or as a researcher in Sentinel and Guide studies if you prefer," Shane emphasized his jibe with a lift of his chin, both hands being otherwise occupied, "Is that Sentinels, Guides and spirit animal form bonds. Sometimes those bonds are strengthened by significant life events. Sometimes bonded individual may be hurt when something happens to a bondmate or troubles the bond itself. What I'm guessing as an Ancient technician in training and from what I know of Gabi's work so far, is that each of those events shows up on her energy detector. I'm not sure if energy somehow leaks though from the spirit plane or if the energy actually does something during bonding and other situations, something that could be disrupted by disrupting the energy. When channeled to charge a ZPM or other device, it certainly seems to serve a purpose in this plane and could potentially be disrupted."

"Well, let's start by comparing last night's peaks to the readings from the ZPMs we charged." Gabi overlaid the graphs and even without fine tuning, a great deal of overlap was evident. "That's so cool! But you know what would make it even cooler…"

"She has that evil genius glint in her eye," Brett fake whispered. "Do you think we should run?"

"I don't know. A lot of Gabi's ideas lately involve kissing." Shane smirked, then smirked more when Gabi's eyes got big.

"Okay, yeah. I have lots of these green crystals that seem to hold energy generated by a Sentinel and Guide. If we made a series of them with each pair and then all three of us together, I'd have comparable energy readings based on pairing. Then I could separate out other variations based on circumstances like bonding or charging a ZPM or spirit animals merging." Gabi started laying out crystals.

"Did we just get volunteered as research subjects?" Brett pretended to be offended.

"I was right about the kissing." Shane took Gabi's hand. "You and I should go first, so I can get a feel for this crystal's vibration and to show Brett how it's done."

Gabi smiled and flicked on the detector and the recorded frequency to match. She palmed a crystal and held out her hand saying, "Make sure you're touching the crystal." Then they were kissing. The level of focus needed was easy for them, but it was still a lot of fun to kiss Shane. His tongue only teased at her lips this time, but his lips were soft and warm. Gabi practically bounced over to her table afterward.

"Here, take this one." She handed a crystal to Brett.

"You sure this will work with two Guides?" Brett asked as he held out his hand to Shane.

"One way to find out." Shane kissed him. Gabi could see from the energy readings that it worked right away. She also saw that Shane and Brett didn't stop kissing once the crystal was fully charged. They looked great together and very happy, so Gabi just bounced in place as she watched.

When they finally let each other go, Gabi carried a new crystal over to Brett. "You okay with kissing me, or do you want to try the meditation version?"

"I liked kissing you before, Gabi," Brett leaned forward to finish in a whisper, "And right now I'm pretty eager for more kissing."

Gabi clasped the crystal in place and met him halfway.

The kiss was sweet. It lasted longer than their first, and Brett took the chance to explore her lips and where they fit together best. When the crystal was charged he pulled her in for a hug. "Best research project ever."

"Now all three of us?" Shane asked bringing over a new crystal as Gabi set the previous one aside.

"Can we go back to bed after this?" Brett asked.

"I have cool work to do," Gabi said, "But I won't tell if you guys sneak off."

"That feels right to you?" Shane asked.

"Yeah, it does. You can both hug me goodbye while you kiss this time. I really liked it when Brett and I kissed while cuddled up against you the first time, so I think this will work for us."

Brett and Shane pretty much sandwiched her between them as they kissed over her shoulder. She let her head rest on Shane's shoulder as she kept track of the crystal frequency and her two Guides. Everything about it felt good. Keeping all of their hands touching the crystal even seemed easy. When this kiss continued after the crystal was full, Gabi let herself be swept along with them for a bit. She could smell both of their arousal wrapped around their individual scents that she found so comforting. Their hearts beat faster but still in sync, and hers sped along with them. She could feel them both growing hard where they were pressed up against her and couldn't help but imagine that someday they'd all make love together.

Soon she reached the point where the buzz was enough for her, and she didn't think the best place for this was her office. "Okay you two, sneak off to bed and make each other happy. I'll stay here and appreciate the data we generated."

#

Brett hadn't expected how illicit it would feel sneaking back to their room hiding his hard on and knowing his lover was hard beside him. Until a few months ago, he'd been a regular college student. Skipping his first class to stay in bed and make out was a time honored tradition. Rushing back to have sex in a bed when he and whoever else were hard wasn't new either. Shane wasn't even the first guy he'd been with for the other's first and second times.

Once in the room Brett stopped to thump his head against the wall. "This is so weird. I feel like I'm cheating on Gabi."

Shane stepped in front of him and chastely clasped both his hands. "If it feels wrong to you, we won't do it."

"I know." And he did know that. He just didn't know why he was feeling so strange.

"Why don't you text her? That's part of why she still carries her phone you know."

Brett thought about Gabi. Then he thought about Gabi's boss. He'd heard someplace that texts weren't very secure, but maybe that was only if people were trying to intercept them at the time. Gabi would know, but that didn't really help. In the end he texted, "It feels strange here without you. Are you sure this is all right?"

Almost instantly he received back, "LOL. I'm sooo happy geeking out with my data. Be happy."

He showed the message to Shane then set the phone aside to get back to kissing.

When they paused for air Brett asked, "Anything in particular you want to try?"

"Intercourse, you in me if that works for you."

The matter of fact way Shane answered certain questions still caught Brett off guard sometimes. That answer jolted his entire body. "Are you sure? The first time will probably hurt at the start."

Shane smiled, "If you knew some of the things I've tried as a shaman in the name of meditation or altered states, you wouldn't worry. If you want to experiment with S&M sometime, I'd be willing to try a lot of things at least once. But I don't think Gabi wants to see any pain or even bondage any time soon, and I have so many things I want to try. If it is okay with you, I would like to save one first for myself with Gabi. I would like to experience intercourse with me inside her before we try me inside you. I know it might be hard to wait, and I'm willing to reconsider if it matters too much to you."

"I can't believe we just discussed boundaries and the only thing you want to wait on is fucking me. Gabi's right, we are deviant in our very own ways. Also, I don't think Gabi's going to make us wait two years, but I will wait patiently for both of you without question."

"And what are your boundaries, if this is our discussion?"

"I've never liked pain so far, though a swat on the ass or a somewhat rough fuck can be hot. Right now, I don't want to be rough with you. I wish I was a Sentinel so I could learn everything about your body in minute detail."

With that Brett started removing the clothes Shane had only put on an hour or two ago. He unzipped the tan and blue jacket then stroked Shane's nipples through the light blue uniform shirt. When Shane started to shiver, Brett pushed the jacket and shirt the rest of the way off and started to suck and lick one nipple while dusting his fingers against the other. He pushed Shane up against the wall as he switched sides to the other nipple. Then he tried a little nip of a bite and Shane cried out.

"You like that?" Brett asked.

"I think so. That time I did."

Brett soothed the nipple with his tongue before nipping again.

"Yes, oh yes," Shane panted.

Brett switched sides again. As he laved circles around the unabused nipple, he pressed hard on the other. Shane moaned and trembled all over, then he pulled Brett in close. "You're too good at this. I'll never get to learn you."

"I like this."

"Let me undress you and experiment a bit before my brain stops."

Brett laughed, "I could like that, too."

Shane kept his back to the wall as he removed Brett's jacket. Then he leaned in and kissed Brett aggressively as he slid his hands under Brett's shirt. He wasn't as rough with Brett's nipples as Brett had been with his, but he didn't start in slowly either.

Brett moaned. He'd guessed Shane would be more passive than him during sex, but this taste of Shane being aggressive had Brett's cock straining against his pants so hard it hurt.

When Shane unbuttoned the top of Brett's fly, the inch of freedom made Brett moan even louder. Shane traced a finger down the zipper, but then reached back up to start removing Brett's shirt inch by inch. He turned them so Brett's back was against the wall and used his tongue to circle Brett's belly button. Brett thought he knew all his own hot spots, but when Shane started thrusting his tongue hard into Brett's belly button, Brett almost came in his pants.

"Please, you're driving me crazy. I won't be able to hold out until I'm in you."

Shane did something like a spiral bringing his tongue out until he was circling an inch outside Brett's belly button. The crazy part was, Brett was reacting as if Shane was circling his cock.

"Nothing says you have to do that the first time today."

With that Shane had the bunched up shirt rubbing against Brett's nipples. Shane shifted to scattering barely there kisses randomly across Brett's abdomen and ribs, and Brett was reduced to whimpering before Shane's mouth even reached his nipples. Brett gave in and let his eyes close as Shane explored from his nipples to his jaw and all the way out to his shoulders and upper arms. From breath on wet skin to a couple of cautious nips, Brett had no idea what to expect. He gave into sensation, even when he was pretty sure he'd have a hickey on his neck by the end.

It wasn't until Shane dropped to his knees and started mouthing Brett's fly that Brett realized he'd lost his shirt somewhere in the process. When he opened his eyes to Shane kneeling before him and finally paying attention to his cock, Brett almost came in his pants.

"I can't believe what you do to me," Brett gasped.

"I want to do it all day."

"Grrr," was all Brett managed.

Then Shane unfastened the stupid uniform pants and slid them down to Brett's ankles. Shane kissed and sucked his inner thigh as Shane's hair brushed against Brett's boxers and other thigh and Shane's hands fumbled with socks, shoes, and pants.

Finally! Brett was naked, legs slightly apart as the wall held him upright. Shane's tongue lapped up the length of Brett's cock. He swirled around the top then sank down to suck first one ball and then the other into his mouth.

"It's okay to give instructions if you want," Shane said.

"Close, so close," was all Brett could say.

"I want you to come in my mouth." With that Shane sucked in the crown of Brett's cock and wrapped his hand around the base. His rhythm was a little too slow, but Brett couldn't say anything. He was hanging right on the edge. Then Shane's free hand gently cupped Brett's balls and ran a finger behind. Brett came so fast he couldn't have given warning. He would have fallen but Brett caught his hips and held him up. Shane's warm mouth stayed on his cock until Brett took a deep breath and shook himself.

"Come up here," Brett said.

Shane slid up Brett's body, hands still firm on his hips.

"Come over to the bed," Shane said. He walked backward guiding Brett by the hips.

Once they were both lying down Brett stroked a hand down Shane's bare chest. He continued lower until he was tracing Shane's erection through his pants. "Can I return the favor?"

"If you feel like it."

Brett climbed on top so his naked thigh pressed between Shane's legs. "You make me want to test your patience."

"Or we can test how many orgasms we can have in one day."

"The first time was officially today," Brett replied.

"I know."

Brett kissed him, tasting himself in Shane's mouth, feeling Shane's erection against his thigh. He kissed until Shane was panting and moaning. "Now I really need to finish undressing you."

He removed Shane's pants and socks with an abundance of teasing touches. Shane writhed and keened beneath him. Brett couldn't believe how responsive Shane was. Every motion and sound hit home, so perfectly authentic. Even if Brett's cock was still recovering, his passion for Shane was in overdrive. Finally, he had to press Shane's hips down hard so he could safely mouth Shane's balls and cock. He didn't mean to tease anymore. He'd already had some chance to explore the first time. But he was in love with Shane's reactions. Shane pressed into the hands that held him down. He whimpered and shivered and mewed like a kitten. When Brett lowered his mouth around Shane's cock, there was a momentary cessation of movement. Then a fine shivering overtook Shane's entire body. Brett could barely imagine the strain on taut muscles behind that shiver. He sucked in earnest and rolled Shane's balls in his hand. Shane came with only a small gasp and then a continuous keening noise. Brett did what he could to draw the orgasm out and then to gentle Shane back down as he recovered.

When Shane's eyelids started to flutter open, Brett reached for the lube and condom he'd stashed by his side of the bed a few days before. He held them where Shane could see, "You still want this?"

Shane licked his lips and said, "Yes, please."

Brett threw his head back. "I love you so much, that doesn't even begin to say it."

"I know. I had no idea it would be like this. You are more than I ever imagined." Shane ducked his head, and Brett was struck speechless for a very long time.

"No one has ever come back at me with something mushier than what I said. Gabi would be so proud of you."

"She loves us both, too. Kiss me?"

They kissed, even though their lips were getting chapped. Even though Brett was holding a condom and lube in his hand and they were both eager for him to use them. They kissed until words were superfluous.

Then Brett knelt between Shane's legs and prepped him so slowly and carefully that Shane was whining for him to push in.

"Roll over," Brett said.

Shane shook his head crazily and pushed down onto Brett's fingers.

"I don't want to hurt you."

"I want kisses."

"Next time."

"Please," Shane whined.

Brett kept up what he was doing with three fingers as he knee walked to Shane's side and kissed his mouth deep and wet.

"Now roll over on your knees, and I'll kiss all over your back."

Shane let out a moan that might have been a complaint, but he rolled over.

Brett set himself up with condom and lube and positioned his cock to brush Shane's entrance.

"Please!" Shane shouted.

"Push back slowly," Brett said with his hands on Shane's hips. He helped guide Shane back a couple of inches as painlessly as possible. Then he began kissing Shane's back.

"Yes, more, please," Shane begged.

Brett slid in as slowly as he could, pulling back and starting over whenever he felt resistance. When he was finally in deep, he took a moment to adjust to the incredible tightness and heat.

"Move, please, now," Shane whined.

Brett set up a smooth, slow rhythm. He adjusted his angle just a little with each thrust until Shane let out an amazing high-pitched sound. With a few more strokes in the right position, Brett shifted so he could keep that angle with his hips while also kissing Shane's back.

Shane made noise with every thrust. Sometimes moaning. Sometimes whining or keening. When the fine trembling set in again, Brett knew it was time. He wrapped a slick hand around Shane's cock and started pumping inside and out to a faster and faster rhythm. When Shane came, his muscles pulsed so tightly around Brett's cock that it was all Brett could do to hold out for two more thrusts and let them both ride through it.

Then he pulled out, shifting them both to the side to avoid the wet spot. He disposed of the condom and wrapped himself tightly around Shane's back. He kissed Shane's neck and shoulder until they both fell asleep.

By the time they woke up their stomachs were growling.

"All day sex would work better if we had our own kitchen," Shane said.

"I think we can take a break to shower and eat. We might even check in online and see if anyone's noticed we're playing hooky."

Shane rolled over on top of Brett and his cock jabbed against Brett's hip. "Bet we could manage number four in the shower."

"You are destroying my image of you as an ingénue."

"I never claimed to be an ingénue. I waited five years for this."

Brett let himself be pulled into the shower where they wasted plenty of soap and shampoo, but eventually managed to get both dirty and clean again.

When they reached the mess Lorne gave them a knowing look, and Brett wondered if they hadn't cleaned off enough for Sentinel senses. Shane seemed to read his mind and pressed a knowing finger to Brett's neck. Brett knew what a hickey felt like. He still couldn't help blushing.

After lunch, they were both drawn into work for a little bit. But in the late afternoon Shane wandered into the anthropology library, caught Brett's eye, and then walked away wiggling his ass.

Brett caught up to him in the transporter. "You'll be the death of me."

"Never," Shane said, "But I want to try sixty nine."

Brett swatted his ass, "You can't just say things like that."

"I think I might like spanking," Shane replied, pupils wide.

Brett swatted the other cheek then chased Shane to their room when the transporter doors opened.

#

Gabi returned to her room somewhat cautiously that evening. Neither Brett nor Shane replied to her texts, and she was afraid of catching them in the middle of something if she called on the radio. The door from her room to Shane's was open, which meant she was welcome. So far, he'd never been the one to shut it, and she rarely had.

The smell of sex was overpowering. She found it both arousing and overwhelming. Had it come from any other than her Guides, she would have been deeply embarrassed. Instead, she was mostly amused. While she'd written an amazing addendum to her original report on alien power sources, the two guys had been at it like bunnies. She wondered briefly what the spirit animals thought of them.

By the time she consciously attempted to listen for clues, she knew both Shane and Brett were asleep. She peeked in and found them naked, wrapped around each other but toe to head. Or more like head to little head as the case was. She couldn't help it. She started to laugh. When two mussed heads looked up at her, she laughed even harder, and then everyone was laughing.

Finally, when Gabi could breathe, she said, "Why don't you two go shower while I change the sheets."

"You don't have to do that," Brett said.

"I'm all for being efficient. I'm guessing neither of you has had dinner either?"

They scampered off to share a shower and Gabi heard something about "going for six" before she turned her hearing way down. She sent all three sets of sheets into the laundry portal before she hurried down the hall to get three more sets, making it six just in case, from the nearest supply cupboard.

That night, both guys were very cuddly as they half watched the original Harry Potter movie. They pulled Gabi into all their petting, hugging, and massaging until she finally asked why.

"We missed you," Brett said.

"We love you," Shane said.

"I've been thinking mushy thought about both of you since the conversation about our anniversary," Gabi said. "I don't think the two year rule even applies anymore. Everything I thought I knew about touch and sex seems to have shifted. But I can't just jump into this the way you guys did."

"But you liked watching us?" Brett asked.

"Let's just say it was good for me, too."

Brett kissed her cheek.

"Want to watch us again tonight?" Shane asked.

"He's insatiable," Brett said. "Oh, and he says even mushier things than I do. I thought you'd want to know."

"He saved himself for five years for us, remember? You're both hopeless romantics." Gabi swallowed and added, "Do you think it would break the mood for you guys if I touched a little too tonight?"

"I'd like it," Shane said. He snuggled into both of them, pulling everyone closer.

"Go for it," Brett said, "But we need to know how we can touch back."

"Nothing more than you've done before, and you really don't have to. I don't want to distract you from each other. I just, even aside from sex, I'm really attuned to your bodies. I'll try not to zone."

"We'll pull you right back if you do, don't worry," Shane said, stroking her back.

"Yeah, I kind of don't think I'd zone with both of you there and active anyway."

There was a lull in conversation for maybe a minute before Shane said, "Do we have to finish the movie?"

Gabi and Brett both tickled him mercilessly before they untangled to get ready for bed.

Once they were all lying down, things proceeded slowly. They were used to sleeping together. Gabi and Brett both had habitual ways of cuddling up on each side of Shane. What Gabi noticed most this time was that Shane seemed hypersensitive to every touch.

"It's almost like you're a Sentinel with your touch dial turned up," Gabi said.

"I like it. Can I take off my shirt?"

"I'll get it," Brett said.

Gabi could see goose bumps form where Brett trailed his finger as he slid the plain white tee shirt off. Then Gabi trailed her own fingers from Shane's collarbone to his wrist and watched more goose bumps emerge. Brett echoed her stoke on the other arm. Shane made a mewling sound.

Brett ran a firmer hand up and down Shane's side. Gabi tried the same, and Shane relaxed a bit. Brett petted softly across Shane's scant chest hair, nipples, and ribs. Shane made a purring noise.

"Can I?" Gabi asked.

"Anything," Shane said.

She petted her side of Shane's chest and his breath hitched. She and Brett made minimal efforts to coordinate after that, but Shane was soon humming or maybe it was purring. His back arched sometimes, especially to a change in touch or a light brush of fingernails. Gabi let herself tune into the touch and sounds. Changes in the sounds Shane made clearly followed behind touch, but the more Gabi experimented, the less she could predict or find a clear correlation.

Then Brett started focusing his touch on one of Shane's nipple. He circled his finger, ghosted against the tip, even flicked rather hard back and forth. Shane's noises grew louder, some hums and moans, some higher pitched.

The smell of male arousal, from both guys, increased exponentially.

Shane reached out to pull Gabi close. She ended up lying with her head on his shoulder, his arm wrapped around her back and stroking her shoulder and side. With the hand that wasn't pressed between her and Shane, she continued to explore Shane's chest and belly.

She watched as Shane's other hand snaked under Brett's shirt to the nipples. Brett leaned in to kiss Shane then backed away to pull his shirt off.

Shane tilted his head toward Gabi and pulled her up to kiss. The kiss was all tongues from the start, and Gabi could feel her own arousal ratcheting up. She imagined what it would be like someday when all three of them were naked and making love to each other. Gabi moaned into the kiss and felt Brett stroke her hair.

Shane must have done something to Brett's nipple then, because Brett let out a sharp whine with his hand still resting in Gabi's hair. Then Brett's hand was gone and she heard and felt a lot of shifting which she assumed was Brett removing the rest his clothing and Shane's.

For a moment it seemed strange to be kissing Shane while someone else made love to him. Then she realized they were all making love together, just in their own ways. She wrapped that understanding around herself as she continued kissing Shane. At some point she realized her eyes were closed. Her sense of touch and vibration from where her mouth and part of her body connected to Shane gave her a surprisingly clear mental map of how Brett's body was rubbing against Shane's. One of Brett's legs was between Shane's. She could hear Brett kissing what had to be Shane's neck. Both sound and vibration told her Shane was stroking Brett's hip, then squeezing his ass.

When Shane's breathing became too ragged, Gabi pulled back and breathed against his ear. He shivered and almost convulsed down the length of his body.

Gabi opened her eyes to see Brett flushed and sweaty, hips rolling against Shane, covering his groin and one hip. Brett was looking her way, perhaps trying to see what had caused Shane's full body reaction.

Shane panted out, "Inside me, please."

Brett kissed the side of Shane's jaw. "Aren't you tender from earlier."

"Please," Shane whined.

Brett looked to Gabi, his pupils huge, face and neck flushed, but he was waiting to see if she minded.

"You know best," she said.

He leaned to his side of the bed and grabbed a tube and a condom. "You can watch or touch the rest of him or whatever you need."

She nodded and breathed against Shane's ear again. He shivered, but it wasn't as strong of a reaction as before. Gabi kissed around his ear and down his neck. He was stroking her back and side. She was stroking her hand in a figure eight mostly around his nipples.

She watched as Brett pushed Shane's legs up and back. She reached out to steady the knee on her side and saw Brett's slick finger circling and then pushing into Shane's entrance. For a moment she felt an empathic vulnerability, a small spike of fear. Then Shane's moans rumbled through his chest. Gabi curled up in a ball out to his side and rested her head on his shoulder. His hand on her clenched, and she rubbed his chest a little more firmly.

Brett had two fingers inside Shane and was rubbing what must be Shane's prostate. Shane moaned with every pass. His cock was so full it was dripping on his belly. The smell of the musky salty precome was strong enough it almost registered as taste. Gabi knew she could reach out a finger and catch some to taste, but it wasn't what she needed now. She closed her eyes and absorbed the sound, smell, and feel of Shane's enjoyment.

"You should turn over," Brett said.

Gabi could feel Shane shaking his head.

Brett sighed and started shoving something under Shane, lifting his hips to a better position. Gabi adjusted herself so her head still rested on Shane's shoulder. Some part of her mind considered opening her eyes, watching her beautiful Guides make love. But she was very content curled up the way she was. She felt safe and included. Adding another sense wouldn't make it better for her as she let the shared experience wash over her, still stroking Shane's chest.

#

Brett pushed slowly into Shane, hearing his soft moan, watching Gabi's hand on his chest. Both Gabi and Shane had their eyes closed. They looked so trusting, holding on to each other. Brett knew Gabi could tune into as much or as little as she wanted. It was surprising how hot that thought was. Maybe he had an exhibitionist streak that only applied to Gabi. Or maybe he didn't consider it exhibitionism with her. The three of them were meant to be together. He'd have to tell them later how his romantic streak helped him go slow as he waited for Shane's body to adjust to his cock.

It was so hot and tight. Brett wished he really could do this all day, but he had enough experience to know Shane would be sore the next day. Lots of lube and keeping it smooth and easy was the best Brett could do to make the soreness a pleasant reminder rather than a real annoyance.

He remembered what Shane had said about wanting to be kissed like this. Leaning forward he kissed Shane long and slow. He could feel Gabi's hand caught between their chests. When Brett couldn't hold that position anymore, he whispered to Gabi, "Feel free to kiss him, anywhere you want."

As he eased back he saw Gabi kissing Shane's shoulder and neck, near where she'd laid her head.

Brett focused on rolling his hips to find the angle that brought him and Shane the most pleasure. Shane's moans intensified with each thrust. Brett had to struggle to hold on. Even after all they'd done that day, Shane's noises went straight to Brett's cock. When he couldn't hold either of them back any longer, Brett moved a hand to loosely cradle Shane's cock. He felt Shane shiver as each stoke inside pushed him into Brett's hand on the outside. When Shane finally came he howled.

Gabi turned one ear into his neck but kept kissing the surrounding skin lightly.

Brett held himself in place as Shane spasmed around him, then he thrust a few times more and almost blacked out as he came one more time.

Brett slid himself out and tied off the condom. Somehow he managed to toss it into the waste basket. Then Gabi was handing him a warm wet cloth. Brett gratefully cleaned himself and Shane, then set it aside as they all snuggled in together.

#

John recognized the smell long before they reached the first settlement. Even pilots couldn't avoid it during a war. The smell of rotting corpses almost turned his stomach. He didn't dare dial smell down when entering an unknown, potentially hostile situation. Instead he channeled his thoughts into strategy.

He led the team off the path. Brief eye contact with Markham told him the younger Sentinel either didn't have the sensory acuity or more likely the experience to know why the Colonel had pulled them aside. He whispered loud enough for everyone to hear, "We've got human corpses up ahead. So far it's quiet, but we need to approach and recon watching for remaining hostiles, Wraith, survivors, or Wraith worshippers pretending to be survivors. Don't let your guard down."

He motioned for Markham and Stackhouse to split off and loop around. Two Marines he sent back to watch the gate. The other three Marines were with him. As they reached a village of tents more primitive than the Athosians, John gestured for his remaining team of four to spread out along the tree line and move in separately.

The smell of death was stronger here, but not as strong as John expected based on Afghanistan. That could be due to cooler weather or more time passing. As John came upon the corpse of a man fallen over a wheelbarrow, withered like a mummy, he knew the smell of a Wraith kill. With less moisture came less smell of rot. There was a chemical tang, which John guessed to be the enzyme Ford supposedly sought. Then there was a smell like dust or the crust on some cheese.

John was surprised to feel a warm hand on his neck and a calm male voice saying, "Sir, can you hear me now? Dr. McKay said you had something in your vest that you could focus on in case of a zone. Can you ground yourself on what you brought from your Guide?"

"Shit," John said. His head ached.

Sergeant Stackhouse withdrew his hand. "All better I take it."

"Better is relative, is the site secure?"

"Yes, sir."

"Does everyone know I—"

"Just my Sentinel, sir."

"I won't ask you to leave this out of your report, but if you didn't need to mention it happened within minutes—"

"No problem, sir. Any way I can help?" The corners of Stackhouse's mouth twitched up, but nothing else changed.

"I'm fine now. It won't happen again."

Stackhouse started to walk away.

"Sergeant," John waited for the man to look back, "Thanks."

Stackhouse nodded.

John took reports from the others and saw enough of the corpses to be glad McKay hadn't come. There were children and people of every shape and size with skin stretched grotesquely over bones. One of them seeing the strained faces in nightmares would be enough.

They'd been given two more addresses where Wraith worshippers had supposedly made overtures. The second turned out to be just as dead as the first.

The third gate address had no sign of a settlement. At first John didn't hear or smell any sign of people. He pulled out the life signs detector McKay had previously used. It didn't show anything either, and he wished his Guide was along to tweak the search parameters. Finally, with a combination of finger swipes and mentally begging the device to give him more, a cluster of thirty or so life signs appeared far to the right of the gate. He showed Markham and Stackhouse their location and sent the pair back to Atlantis to return with a cloaked Jumper, hopefully by the time the rest of them reached the locals.

Then John left two Marines to watch the gate and took the other three off at a brisk clip. Before they reached the cluster of life signs they found what John thought was a surprisingly large energy reading. Once again he missed McKay's scientific expertise. He turned his team to scout it out and found a concrete bunker built into a hill. The doors were open and appeared to be unguarded. John read five life signs inside.

He motioned Lieutenant Cadman forward with him and signaled the other two to hold just inside the open doors. He walked forward quietly, not sure of what reception to expect. John's brain struggled to make sense of the smells around him. He was afraid to dial smell much above normal after zoning that morning, but something seemed off. The human smell had a sourness to it, and John thought he detected the scent of Wraith as well.

He pulled his P90, and Cadman followed suit.

They rounded a corner and moved to cover each side of another open doorway. After a quick glance inside John couldn't make sense of the image burned on his retina. Four stone platforms held gray shapes that looked like thin human babies. He looked across to Cadman and she replied with wide eyes and a shrug.

John held up three fingers and silently counted down. They rounded the door and saw vines growing in clumps across the floor and an old man holding something like a gray vine in the corner. When the man looked over his shoulder, the face revealed was Wraith.

Cadman shot ten rounds through his head and chest until he fell.

"Is he dead, sir?" Cadman asked.

John raised his hearing and found no heartbeat or respirations. "If he were human, I'd say yes. In this situation, I wouldn't want to risk our lives on it. Keep him in your sights while I secure the room."

As John turned to the babies with his hearing still elevated, he realized he heard no heartbeat or respiration from any of them. They were gray and skinny and had vines from the floor growing into their heads. He dialed up until his own heartbeat and Cadman's filled the room. Then he dialed down to near normal and pulled out the life signs detector.

The gray baby-like bodies detected as life signs. The Wraith body on the floor no longer did. The only other life signs in the building were his team.

"Lieutenant, the Wraith reads as dead. You can lower your weapon. As our explosives expert, I need you to quickly set up enough explosives to destroy everything in this room and possibly this building." To her credit, she got to work setting charges with only a brief glance at what could almost pass as human infants on the tables. "If we have time to bring in a medical team to look things over, we will, but I'm telling you now, the things on these beds are either not alive or not human. The vines go right through their brains and they have neither pulse nor respiration."

Nonetheless, John forced himself to inspect each of the four to be sure. By the time he was done, Cadman was ready with a remote detonator.

"Range," he asked.

"Back to the gate, at least. Five miles if the land stays flat with minimal interference."

"Good work, Cadman. Let's move on."

They collected the two Marines from the front door without a word and hurried on to the original cluster of life signs.

The settlement was smaller than John expected. Two wooden buildings shared a tent like roof pulled between to shade a couple of outdoor tables. There were about a dozen women working at the tables. Many of them were very visibly pregnant. One table group was clearly preparing food. The others were picking through something fluffy and dirty that might be related to wool or cotton.

"Greetings," John said. "I don't mean to interrupt, but we heard there'd been some trouble near here."

A couple of women shot him sideways glances, but none responded. He caught Cadman's eyes and motioned with his head for her to try. They didn't have Teyla or the anthropologist Dr. Ng along, but if everyone present was female, he figured there might be some cultural taboos involved.

Cadman stepped gamely forward. "Hi, I'm Laura Cadman. Could I help with that?" She motioned at the food table.

One of the women there looked her up and down. "Were you brought here to bear your child?"

"Um, not that I know of," Cadman extemporized.

"You should go then. The Wraith overseer will not like you being here." The woman was shelling something like peas and didn't miss a beat as she spoke.

"Was that the Wraith in the building over that a way?" Cadman pointed. "Is he holding you prisoner here?"

"He promises our lives in exchange for our children." The woman wiped her forehead on the bunched up sleeve of a rather filthy blouse. She looked reasonably healthy, and John would have said her pregnancy was about at the basketball stage, except that would probably confuse the native women and raise charges of insensitivity from his own people.

"Do you know what he does with your children?" Cadman asked. She seemed to be handling the situation well, and John added to his CO checklist to consider diversity and people skills when assigning off world teams.

"He promises not to feed on them."

"And you trust him?"

The woman scowled at Cadman but kept her voice neutral. "What else are we to do? Our own people sold most of us to the Wraith."

"They sold you?"

"For protection from culling."

"Has anyone ever come back from here?"

"The negotiators only made the deal a few weeks ago where I come from."

Cadman looked to the others, "Anyone know of a mother returning after this?"

No one spoke.

"What if we took you back to the gate so you could go home?"

The only woman willing to speak before was the same one who spoke again. "Then our people would face culling."

"If you've only seen one Wraith, what makes you think the others would honor his agreements?"

"One is enough."

"Well, that one is dead."

"What have you done?" The woman stood so suddenly John had his weapon drawn before he could think. "They could kill all our people now."

"They could kill all your people before. Let us take you back to the gate. From there you can choose where to go." Cadman lifted a hand in the direction of the gate, as if pointing to a shared goal.

"If you want, we could go with you," John offered. "We're just as willing to go up against Wraith worshippers as Wraith."

Some of the other women were whispering among themselves now. One of them said to the group, "If there are other Wraith working with the overseer, they will retaliate anyway if he is dead. We should leave now."

"I can't walk as far as the gate," said one hugely pregnant woman.

"We should be able to help with that," John said. Tapping his radio he said, "Sheppard to Stackhouse, are you in position?"

"Yes, sir."

"Any sign of hostiles?"

"No sir, but there's an energy source in a hill you passed."

"Taken care of, for now. I'm going to need you to transport some refugees to the gate. Set down in the field beside us. If any of them want an escort to deal with Wraith worshippers at home, wait for us to meet you. Otherwise, let them dial through to wherever they want. Park the Jumper cloaked but facing the gate and DHD, cameras on and one of you inside at all times."

"Understood."

It turned out there were only sixteen women total. John wasn't sure what the life signs detector counted, but each pregnant woman counted as two. The women who had been resting inside were farthest along in their pregnancies and were taken to the Jumper first. The other women determined among themselves who should ride and who could walk.

"After the first group, we can call the Jumper back if needed. Let's just get started," John said.

John and his three Marines set their pace to match the slowest of the eight women walking with them. When they were less than halfway to the gate Stackhouse radioed, "Under attack, sir. Attackers appear to be human, and one of our civilians thinks they're from a planet dialed earlier. Markham finished off the first surge with a weapon on the Jumper, but they're holding the gate open from the other side, so we don't know what's coming."

"Status of our pregnant civilians, Sergeant?"

"The two remaining have taken shelter in the Jumper with us. One was knocked down but seems to be okay."

"Status of our team?"

"Two minor injuries. If more people come through, should we fire on them from the Jumper or remain cloaked by the gate?"

"Remain cloaked and get in the air. Keep an eye on the gate. Hopefully anyone else sent through will leave if there's no one to fight. If they do anything hostile or head toward us, shoot at will from the Jumper. Check in every five minutes or if status changes."

"Yes, sir."

When John finished, the pregnant women who had originally spoken with Cadman came up and tugged on his arm wanting to know what had happened. He explained the situation to the group and they all wanted to know what planet sent the attack. It turned out some of the women in this group came from the same communities as those in the Jumper group. John mentally kicked himself for not thinking about that earlier. He had a lot to learn as a CO and to lead teams off world.

A cluster of five women from a planet called Milkoa seemed especially concerned about possible retribution from their town, and they'd had one townswoman in the advanced cohort.

On the next radio check in, John asked and determined the other Milkoan woman was still safe in the Jumper. The fighters were believed to have come through from Naltor based on clothing styles and tattoos that the remaining two women said they recognized.

The women with John's group laughed at the news. "The Naltori will fight anyone. They attack all who step through their gate. Nisha came from there but had been sold while visiting elsewhere. The Naltori probably didn't trust your people were truly rescuers, or maybe they didn't want to leave anyone knowing that Nisha had escaped the Wraith. Will you still come back to Milkoa to help us?"

"What would you like us to do? And why are there so many from your world?"

"Three people in long coats of leather came to us last month. They threatened destruction and promised protection if we sent all of the currently pregnant women and one more each season. Our innkeeper gives them free lodging as well, and the barman keeps them in food and drink. They are rumored to be Wraith worshippers who survived the destruction of Sateda."

"What was Sateda?"

"You have not heard of Sateda?" The woman looked incredulous.

"Our people had been cut off from others until recently." John repurposed the story Teyla had used in the market.

"Sateda was very advanced, with weapons and flying ships like yours. The Wraith destroyed their entire planet for their presumption."

"Fascinating," John said, "and now three of them are bullying your people into delivering pregnant women to the Wraith."

"You see why we need your help. You could take out those three easily, and then stay to defend us."

John took a deep breath. "Taking out three Wraith worshippers sounds like a deal, but I don't have enough people to assign a long term defense force. Couldn't you relocate for a while, until the heat wears off?"

"Our people are civilized. We have beautiful architecture and libraries. Why do you think our leaders agreed to this deal to begin with?" The woman shook greasy hair in whip fast denial.

"Look, I'm seriously hoping this Wraith was acting alone—"

He was cut off by Stackhouse on the radio. "Incoming wormhole. It formed within seconds of the other one cutting off. One Wraith Dart—two Wraith Darts headed your way."

"Under cover, now," John said it barely loud enough for regular ears to hear, but both Marines and civilians vanished into the underbrush in an instant. He realized that even Pegasus civilians who weren't obvious warriors like Teyla might have some of the skills he associated with the military.

The Darts passed close enough for John to hear them with his hearing barely above normal. Hearing several quick intakes of breath from those around him suggested others heard them, too.

Markham came through Sentinel soft on his radio. "Both Darts landed at the energy source."

"Can you see them?" John answered just as softly.

"Negative. We're still by the gate. Should we move?"

"Hold position. We're going to blow the place up, but I don't know if that will take out the Darts as well." He dialed his hearing back to normal and signaled Cadman to trigger the explosion.

The bang reverberated to where they were hiding. One of the civilians muttered something.

"Stay quiet and hidden for now," John whispered just loud enough to carry.

Something too quiet came over his radio. John raised his hearing just a bit and pitching his voice for Markham said, "Repeat."

"No longer reading the two Wraith life signs from the Darts, but the gate is still open."

"Keep in position. We'll continue toward the gate."

A little louder to the group he said, "Can all of you walk the rest? I think we're over halfway."

Heads popped up from the bushes and everyone nodded. "Good. We took out two Wraith Darts, but the gate is still open, so let's stay quiet and ready to hide."

He was impressed with how quietly eight pregnant Pegasus women could move. One of his Marines, on the other hand, was in for more training as soon as they finished this mission.

They made it close enough to see the gate while it was still open. John had the Jumper land by the last bit of forest cover and he managed to move his whole group into the Jumper or at least onto the open ramp where they were hidden by the Jumper's cloaking feature.

"Does anyone know how long the Wraith are likely to keep the gate open?"

"Not much longer," The most helpful woman from Milkoa said. "There's a built in limit. But when their Darts don't return they'll send more, so we should dial out right away."

"Good," John said. "Thanks for that. Now I know six of you are from Milkoa, but we're not sure of our reception there, and I'm thinking we'll save our errand with those Wraith worshippers for last. Any of the rest of you believe your gate is safe for us to fly in and let the others go home from there?"

A very young woman began to nod. "My people live far apart and are rarely near the gate."

"Were you taken from there?" John asked as gently as he could.

"No, market day on another world."

"Can you show my men up front the address? We can put in all but the last symbol and dial as soon as the gate is free."

Her mouth opened in a wide "o" but she moved to do as John asked.

At his look of confusion their main informant said, "It must be very nice to be able to dial the gate from the safety of your ship."

"Yes," John said. Then seeing the sadness on her face he added, "We're trying to use what we have to help others and stop the Wraith. Why don't you tell us everything you can about your world and the Wraith worshippers there?"

John would have liked to wait a day at least before taking on the Wraith worshippers and all the problems of Milkoa, but they weren't ready to tell anyone about Atlantis just yet. He did check in with Elizabeth after they'd delivered everyone but the Milkoans safely. He let her know where they were headed and to send two more teams in cloaked Jumpers if they didn't check in within two hours.

Milkoa was full of noise and living breathing people. The architecture was truly impressive with plenty of stone arches and carved borders on both stone and wood buildings. John had Markham park the cloaked Jumper where his local Guide suggested, but left him with orders for dropping two Marines back near the gate and then relocating the Jumper near the bar the Wraith worshippers frequented before checking to see if they needed back-up. He took the same three Marines as before with him, figuring the women from Milkoa had grown used to them.

Their first stop was a local "sanctuary." John wasn't clear from the description whether it was more like a church or a school, but a woman introduced as the "Gatekeeper" there agreed to shelter the women temporarily after only a few minutes explanation.

Then John and his three Marines made their way to the bar where the three Wraith worshippers were easy to spot based on the description of their multi-paneled leather coats and their usual table. John swaggered up to the three of them and pulled up a chair on the fourth side of their table. "I hear you folks have a direct line to some Wraith."

"You hear too little and speak too much," one of the female Wraith worshippers said.

"That could be said of any of us. For instance, you've been telling the people here that the women and unborn babies they sold wouldn't become Wraith food. You didn't tell them those babies end up suffering, gray and dehydrated, pinned down to tables with vines growing into their brains and bodies."

The entire bar was silent for just an instant before the three Wraith worshippers sprang from the table shouting "Liar!" and pulling weapons. John's team had been expecting it and managed to get the blasters away from all three and tackle two of them to the ground. The third hit John in the ribs with something like brass knuckles, slashed Cadman's thigh and hand with a knife, and took a small man from the next table hostage. She held a knife to the man's throat as she said, "Whoever told you this lied."

"I saw for myself before we killed the Wraith in charge and blew the place up." John held his ribs as he spoke and watched for an opening.

"You lie. You are the same braggarts who search for an enzyme junkie and claim to have destroyed a Hiveship."

"We did destroy a Hiveship. We have proof. The man we search for ran off during that fight with a Wraith hand still attached to his chest. We will find him and cure him so he never becomes like you." John knew he shouldn't let himself get angry, but if the opinion of the townspeople in the tavern turned against them, they'd lose not only their lives but the best chance for the women they'd rescued.

"Listen, we rescued six pregnant women and brought them home to this planet." He glanced at doubting faces around the bar and wished he knew any of the women's names, but they'd been too scared to offer them, and he hadn't pushed. "The Wraith these three have been dealing with is dead and his work destroyed. We'll try to help you prepare for further Wraith threats, but for now it comes down to who do you trust more, us or them?"

There was another tense silence and the small man with the knife to his throat spoke. "I would gladly die to kill these three."

A deep voice across the room said, "If they die, the Wraith will kill us all."

"Maybe, maybe not, same as always," another voice said.

Then from outside the tavern door John heard the familiar voice of the most talkative woman they'd rescued. "We would trust our rescuers over the Wraith any day!"

In an instant the standing Wraith worshipper slit her hostage's throat and leapt for the door with her knife raised toward the pregnant woman speaking.

A single shot took that Wraith worshipper down in the doorway. John shifted to see Markham and Stackhouse beside the pregnant woman with guns drawn. Then the crowd in the bar rushed forward as one entity to pummel and slash the other two Wraith worshippers. John could only tell his Marines, "Hold your fire!" and watch mob justice take its disturbing course.

After basic medical needs had been seen to, John met in a room above the bar with the talkative woman they'd rescued, who turned out to be named Clemis, along with the Gatekeeper from the sanctuary, the barkeep, and some city official introduced as "Doer." John wasn't sure if that was the man's title or his name. When John explained that he couldn't protect their city indefinitely, they negotiated to have one cloaked Jumper on the planet for the next five days. In exchange the Atlanteans were promised an alliance and undying good will from the people of Milkoa. The Gatekeeper presented them with what appeared to be a gift basket.

John said his goodbyes and was down the stairs and outside when the barkeep rushed up to him. "I have one last gift for you; at least I hope it turns out to be a gift."

John tried to hide how tired he was as he said, "I appreciate your generosity, but I'm not sure what you mean."

"When the three of them spoke in my bar, I listened. I heard them tell of an enzyme junkie, perhaps he is the man you seek?"

John nodded, trying to encourage the man to spit it out.

"They say the junkie follows a runner, the best runner the Wraith have ever had. The Wraith have chased this runner for seven Satedan years, and he has killed more than a hundred Wraith. These worshippers spoke of him with mixed awe and contempt, because they say he is also Satedan."

John remembered what he's been told about Sateda when learning about the Wraith worshippers. It had been an advanced world destroyed by the Wraith. He nodded again, trying to see how this would help.

"The junkie follows the runner to steal enzyme from fallen Wraith. The Wraith grow tired of both and send more Wraith each time in pursuit. There are three planets the runner is known to return to more frequently. They are otherwise unpopulated and whatever the Wraith use to track runners does not work well on these planets. They spoke of one with caves and one that is always wet and rainy, if that helps you. But on the third, they spoke of a giant red rock with vertical stripes like a starburst and sunlight that could redden the skin in minutes. My grandfather once took me to this planet as a spiritual observance. I have written the gate address for you, but you understand the risks?"

John took the paper and replied, "If our man and the runner show up, a bunch of Wraith probably will too, and the sun will fry us if we stay too long. But hey, it's the best lead I've got. Thank you."

The barkeep made a gesture with his hands. "May you find sanctuary."

None of the other Milkoans had said that, and they all knew the sanctuary was where they'd taken the women. John just nodded once again. Then he trudged back to the Jumper pressing his hand to what was possibly a cracked rib.

#

Rodney yelled at Zelenka for arguing with him about Ancient technology access protocols that Rodney had already put more than enough time into studying. He yelled at Kavanagh because all of his ideas were idiotic, and he shouldn't really expect Rodney to read the reports he sent in because they were also idiotic and therefore a waste of his precious time. He wasn't sure why he ended up yelling at Kusanagi, maybe she just spoke too softly and he misheard what she said, but she still had her Sentinel safe and reasonably happy in Atlantis, so she really should be able to deal with a few insults about her cutesy shoes cutting off circulation needed by her already challenged brain. Then all three of them targeted Rodney to humiliate in the self defense class he'd arranged for Teyla and Gabi to teach, and how dare they invite Lorne as teacher or practice dummy. If Rodney wanted to wrestle with a Sentinel, or anyone military for that matter, well, he had his own Sentinel for that. Once he came back to Atlantis. Assuming nothing terrible happened to him that prevented him from returning to Atlantis.

When John finally returned, no one called Rodney to tell him. He was called for a senior staff briefing where Dr. Beckett calmly listed injuries from the mission.

"And the Colonel has a couple of bruised ribs for which I have put him on light duty for two weeks."

"Which could include a nice daily walk on the planet we're staking out while watching for Ford," John said.

"Colonel," Dr. Weir began, "I know how you feel about Ford. But in his present condition he has to be presumed hostile. When last seen, he escaped from Stackhouse and Markham, who were both at full physical strength."

"It's just a bruise. I didn't even break anything." John's protest would have been more convincing if he wasn't sitting up much straighter and stiffer than usual. "And odds are against finding Ford on any given day. Besides, he's more likely to respond to my voice than to anyone else's."

"I'll consider sending you in with a second Jumper if he's sighted," Weir said.

"He's on a planet where Wraith sensors don't work, which means ours probably won't either. We have to send a Sentinel, and as you just pointed out, his last experience with Markham was negative."

"So you can send Lorne."

"Is that really the best sort of mission for Lorne and Teyla's skills?"

"Teyla," Weir glared at John, "Can decide for herself, I'm certain. You were the one who argued that Sentinels could work fine off world without their Guides."

"I'm thinking of revising that stance."

"Oh really?" Weir raised an eyebrow.

Finally Rodney couldn't take anymore. "This is supposed to be a senior staff briefing, but everyone appears to have been briefed ahead of time except for me. It is a waste of my time to attend, not to mention a loss of my considerable intellectual prowess in decision making, if no one presents data I can work with. So could you all stop arguing and tell me what's going on!"

John looked directly at Rodney for the first time all day, met his eyes, and started with, "On the first planet…" He was still in full military mode and sitting up too straight, but Rodney tried to listen and not yell too much through the rest of the briefing. He did as well as anyone probably expected of him.

After the briefing, Rodney collected a tray full of comfort food from the mess and went back to his room.

John wasn't there.

The spirit animals were still snuggled up tight on the sofa. "And I guess neither of you could be bothered to look after him today?"

Both animals ignored him. Rodney did the only thing he could that might help. He ate.

When John finally showed up he set a preposterous basket on the counter. Then he slouched against the wall as well as his bruised ribs would allow and said, "I guess you didn't save any for me."

Rodney tried to answer around a mouthful of the last roll. Then he gave up and held out the remainder of the roll to John.

"No, go ahead."

Rodney stood up and stalked toward his Sentinel, brandishing the roll before him.

"Well, if you're going to put it like that…" John snatched the roll and started eating it bit by bit.

Rodney glanced at the demolished tray. "I could go get some more food."

"It's fine. I'm not hungry anyway."

"No wonder your spirit animal is a bird. You eat like one."

John glanced guiltily at the animals curled up on the sofa.

"Oh for goodness sake." Rodney stomped over to the basket. "Is any of this food?"

"How should I know? Someone on Milkoa gave it to me, and Weir said I should bring it home to you."

"Well, get over here and start sniffing."

John wrinkled his nose, "Some of this smells like bath stuff Nancy used to use."

"Why don't you sort the stuff you can't stand or that might have citrus over to the far side, and put the possibly good stuff here by me?"

John rolled his eyes, and Rodney counted that as progress toward relaxing his Sentinel. Whatever the problem was, Rodney believed eating and relaxing were the first steps to solving most people stuff.

Soon Rodney had a pile in front of him that contained: dried fruit (non-citrus), something sweet (probably candied non-citrus fruit), bath oil (the only bath product in the entire basket that John didn't reject based on smell), and a rolling beaded object (either meant for giving backrubs, tenderizing meat, or entertaining a small child).

"Okay, put the rest back in the basket, and eat some of the dried fruit. I'm going to go run a bath for us." McKay picked up the bath oil and the beaded rolling contraption.

"Did someone find a way to supercharge your bossiness today?"

"It was probably the lack of your civilizing influence."

"I don't think we have a bathtub."

"That's because you never looked for one."

Rodney left before his Sentinel said something unbearably obvious about Sentinel vision and the size of a bathtub. He went in the bathroom and thought "more" at the base of the shower enclosure. It eased into a configuration resembling a small hot tub. Rodney thought for it to fill with water five percent warmer than his body temperature. Then he added a tiny bit of the bath oil, which he could barely smell initially, but mixing with the hot water it caused the room to smell like marzipan. Rodney approved.

He went back to the living room and found John was barely even chewing. Rodney shoved another piece of dried fruit in the man's mouth and dragged him off to the bathroom where he stripped them both. As he'd expected, John showed no signs of playfulness or arousal. What he didn't expect was the dark purple bruising with four distinct knuckle marks on John's ribs.

"Who the heck hits that hard, and did whoever it was at least break his hand?"

"She was wearing brass knuckles or something." John didn't even look at the mark.

"You're sure there's no hidden fracture?"

"Beckett scanned me three different ways, and we're both Sentinels. It's just a bruise."

"That wasn't because you zoned, was it?"

John huffed out a breath and rubbed behind his neck. "No, I zoned on smell first thing in the morning. It was idiotic. Can we stop talking about this now?"

"Get on in." Rodney pointed and then dipped his finger in to test. "The water's just, well, it's good enough."

As John complied Rodney couldn't keep his mouth from voicing his own confusion. "So why did you tell Elizabeth you're reconsidering bringing me with you in the future?"

John leaned his head back against the side of the tub. Rodney set towels, washcloths, a glass of water, the oil and the bead toy within easy reach before climbing in as well. Then he pushed his lips together and set himself to outwait his Sentinel.

Finally, at least two minutes later, John relaxed into the water a bit and said, "I screwed up over and over again today. A couple of times it would have helped to have you there as a Guide or a scientist."

"Were you at the same senior staff briefing I was?" Rodney waved his hand, splashing John inadvertently, then he reached over to stroke John's thigh instead. "You saved sixteen pregnant women, freed a planet from the evil schemes of three Wraith worshipers, destroyed a Wraith mad scientist who was mutilating babies, destroyed the baby mutilating equipment, took down two Wraith Darts, and got our best lead yet for finding Ford. What more do you expect?"

Without moving, John answered. "At least one Milkoan died. If I'd been on my game, I might have managed the situation to prevent that. I left you behind when you probably could have learned a lot more from that lab and maybe detected the signal that summoned the two Wraith Darts. I zoned in a potential combat situation and was just that it didn't cost anyone's life. Stackhouse had to save my ass, and he probably saved my career by keeping quiet and not undermining my command. I don't know how he or Markham can trust me in the field after that."

John hunched forward, and it had to hurt his ribs. Rodney tried to understand why John was ready to reconsider the costs and benefits of bringing his Guide along but refused even that small show of rationality about his own actions. Rodney wanted to rant, but more than that, he wanted to fix whatever was wrong.

"I thought I was the glass half empty guy and you were the glass half full counterpoint. Are you looking to buy new glasses?" Rodney tried to joke, but when it fell flat he tried a more direct approach. "While I'm going to have to agree that bringing me along in the future is a better plan, there would have been trade-offs no matter what you did. I would have been more a hindrance than a help in the bar fight, as I think has been amply demonstrated. But seriously, you can't guarantee there wouldn't have been casualties if you'd done something differently. People aren't that predictable, no matter how good you are. Now if we encounter a bar full of robots, I'd be happy to alter their base code for you."

John shook his head and leaned even more weight forward compressing his ribs.

"Okay, no more talking. Sit back and give me your foot." Rodney made grabby hands underwater.

Without shifting position, John looked up at Rodney from under his brows as if he suspected a trick.

"What? We have a big tub full of warm water with bath oil. I'm going to help you relax and maybe try out that roller toy."

John blinked slowly and raised a foot to his Guide's lap.

Rodney wrapped one hand around the arch and one under the heel and immediately appreciated the extra slide allowed by the small amount of oil in the water. "What's the bath oil like for you?"

"It smells stronger now than in the bottle. When I move my arm through the water it seems to cling to the hairs, but it's probably nicer for a foot rub."

Rodney reviewed ideas he'd come up with for bath time fun back when they'd first experimented with touch sensitivity in Antarctica. "What's your touch set at now?"

"3.5"

"Does dialing touch up make your ribs hurt more?" Rodney asked as he stroked John's toes.

"No, I figured out how to keep pain separate, like the separate vibrational setting. But it might matter if you touch the bruise."

"I won't. Could you try pushing touch higher to see if the water or water currents feel better that way?"

"Did this foot rub turn into a science experiment?"

"I'm still rubbing." Rodney was taking it easy, but his hands had been continuously adapting to how John's foot reacted. "And your Guide is a scientist. What did you expect?"

"Okay, but you should probably still your hands for a while if I'm going to try this."

Rodney nodded, "Just keep me well informed."

John closed his eyes, and Rodney congratulated himself on finding a good distraction. If he happened to collect more data in the process, that was a bonus for both of them.

Soon John was moving his arm slowly through the water. "Okay, there's a change in how I perceive fluid dynamics at around 5.5, but don't ask me to explain it."

Rodney's mouth stopped in the open position, barely fast enough to hold the question back.

John started to laugh although his eyes remained closed, and Rodney wondered whether some other sense or just knowing Rodney had made it that obvious.

"Is dialing up higher uncomfortable?"

"Let's leave that for some other day."

Rodney knew that was John's way of saying that whatever his experience of fluid dynamics and abilities at pain management, 5.5 was starting to bother his four knuckle bruise. At least he and John understood each other on that level. "I wish we had jets and bubbles to experiment with."

Rodney almost jumped out of the water when the Ancient tub pumped out bubbles from every surface as if the smooth sides and floor were suddenly made of mesh. He was glad John's military reflexes kept him from any sudden movement that might have hurt his bruised ribs.

"Okay, I'm dialing down to 4.5, and that feels pretty good."

Rodney had to agree. Bubbles coming from all around added to the relaxing effect of the warm water. Under other circumstances, it could probably compound more erotic touching, so Rodney slated that for later experiments. The one thing it lacked compared to Jacuzzi jets on earth was the massage effect. He gave John's foot another tentative rub. "Can I try rolling the toy on your foot?"

"Roll away."

It took Rodney ten minutes of experimentation before they determined that the rolling toy worked best on John's back and found a comfortable way for John to sit with his back accessible.

When Rodney was starting to feel waterlogged and his Sentinel seemed to be as relaxed as he was likely to get, Rodney said, "It might be time to rinse off and go to bed."

"You don't want me to try the roller on you?" John asked.

"Not today, I've had enough of a soak."

John narrowed his eyes and frowned. "Just turn and let me try it on you. How else will you know what you want in the future or if you prefer it with bath oil or without?"

Rodney suspected some other motive behind John's insistence. Maybe he needed Rodney's greedy streak to make him feel useful. Words like "inadequacy" and "insecurity" raced through Rodney's mind, but there was no way Rodney was mentioning either to his Sentinel.

Instead, Rodney turned around and passed the beaded toy to John. It turned out to be an interesting experience and helped Rodney's back, but nothing could really compete with the hands of his Sentinel. For tonight, Rodney didn't want John to stress his ribs or undo the relaxation Rodney had tried to give him.

"Enough for now. Let's stand and rinse." As they stood the bath drained. The shower still worked as usual and they both used washcloths to clean themselves and each other. Any other time, it would have turned into sex, but Rodney saw his Sentinel still wasn't swayed that way, so he kept to cleaning.

Once they dried off, Rodney had one more surprise prepared. He reached outside the bathroom door for his velour robe and said, "Here, wear this."

"You want me to wear your robe?" John wrinkled his nose like he'd been handed dirty laundry.

"It's clean," Rodney protested, confused.

"Don't do this, Rodney."

Now Rodney was even more confused. "Do what? The bath stuff reminded me of when we experimented with this in Antarctica. I thought it might add another comforting touch component to the evening."

John stomped out of the bathroom naked to sit on the bed. "I don't need comforting."

"You don't have to need it. Touch can be good—with or without sex or any specific goal—I just wanted to share something nice."

"Then you wear the robe."

"Fine." Rodney didn't know how this had turned into a fight. There was more bothering his Sentinel than he'd sorted out so far, but whatever he'd done wrong eluded Rodney. "Whatever you want. I was planning to feel you through it, and I figured you get cold easier. Would you like to touch me through it?"

John tilted his head and looked about four years old. "I don't know what my problem is."

"That's pretty well established for both of us, but unless you suddenly want to talk about it, I suggest we get in bed. Is one of us wearing the robe or not?"

#

John looked at the velour robe clutched too tightly in front of his beautiful naked Guide. He didn't know why he kept screwing things up, but he understood Rodney was making an effort. Besides, John did like the feel of that robe and hadn't known Rodney had it on Atlantis until now.

"I have an idea," John said. He pushed down the covers and lay down on what was usually Rodney's side of the bed. He relied on Rodney's genius to understand that John needed to swap sides in order to face inward with his bruised ribs on top. "Bring the robe without putting it on, and lie down so you're comfortable."

Rodney lay down on his back beside John still holding the robe. Then John carefully spread the robe over Rodney like a blanket with a sleeve sticking out on each side. He slid a hand underneath and across Rodney's chest until John could slide his arm through the far sleeve. For a moment he paused, letting Rodney think that was his entire plan.

Then he reached for Rodney's hand and pulled it the opposite way through the sleeve until Rodney's hand emerged inside and John's arm was totally free.

After that John carefully sat up enough to pull the regular covers over both of them and the robe. Then John positioned himself at Rodney's side and found the outside cuff of the still empty sleeve. He worked his hand through until it emerged inside the robe where he found and squeezed Rodney's hand. The steady beat of Rodney's heart and a brief chuckle from his chest rumbled under their clasped hands.

"See, you're not a complete idiot," his Guide mumbled.

"You sure? I don't seem to know how to dress myself."

Rodney mumbled something that ended in the words "fancy dress" and was already asleep.

John stroked his Guide's hand and enjoyed the brush of velour along his arm from even that slight movement. He let his sense of touch drift up a bit until every place the velour touched experienced a soft caress as he and Rodney breathed. John drifted off to sleep remembering a blanket his mom used to tuck under his chin back when he still had a mom to tuck him in at night.

#

They tried to finish the original _Harry Potter_ movie they'd given up on the night before. Shane was quickly distracted into cuddling once again. From the start he'd settled between Brett's legs with his back to Brett's front. Then he'd pulled Gabi in front of him and let his hands hug and stroke both Gabi and Brett pretty indiscriminately.

Gabi had seen the _Sorcerer's Stone_ movie several times. From Diagon Alley to Platform 9 ¾ to the Hogwarts express to Hogwarts itself with the moving staircases and talking pictures, Gabi felt a strange attraction to the places in the movie. Atlantis affected her much the same way, only it was real and all around her.

By the time the Hogwarts kids reached the three headed dog and began their challenges to reach the stone, Shane had his eyes closed and was sliding one hand along the outside of Gabi's thigh and one a bit more provocatively along Brett's. Gabi looked farther back to see Brett smiling as he mouthed the word "insatiable."

Gabi pushed her sense of touch up a notch and could tell Shane was half hard behind her. That knowledge and the increased awareness of his hand on her leg made Gabi shiver with her own arousal. She set her touch back to normal and asked, "We're not finishing this movie tonight, are we?"

Shane answered, "I don't mind. Am I distracting you?" He opened his eyes, and the pupils were wide and shiny.

"I let myself be distracted by you." She turned her head to kiss Shane, and it turned into more than she'd intended. As Shane's tongue stroked against hers eagerly, she heard a moan, and it wasn't either of them. Her eyes opened and zeroed in on Brett's flushed face. Gabi pressed into Shane in a way that shifted him back against Brett. Brett moaned again and reached his arms forward to wrap around both of them.

"The two of you don't appreciate what you do to me," Brett said.

As they stopped kissing Shane looked more than a little confused. "Did I miss something?"

"The two of you kissing, even when I'm not touching, does more for me than any hetero porn I've seen," Brett answered Shane. Then more to Gabi he said, "You're a force unto yourself in my world. I didn't think I could be serious about a sexual relationship with a woman, but in what the three of us have, I want you. I know it makes things more complicated, and I'm fine with you or me just watching sometimes. But short of intercourse, I want to touch you almost as much as I want to touch Shane."

"Touch doesn't have to be about sex," Gabi said.

"Agreed. Does it bother you if it sometimes is?"

"I've been starting to think my Kinsey number doesn't matter at all because my only real attraction is to my Guides."

Brett was holding them both. He leaned in to kiss Gabi's forehead. "And?"

Their usually articulate shaman sat in the middle wideeyed and breathless. Gabi knew this was important, but her own insecurities threatened to steal her words. Then she thought back to her talk with Kusanagi.

"I've never been able to say what I want with sex," Gabi started. "With you, I sort of learned how to say what I wanted with touch. Since you and Shane, I've revised a lot of what I thought about sex and what I might want. But with all my hang ups around touch or sex being wanted and mutual, I freak out if I even think of doing something you don't want. You or Shane. And I know I'm a Sentinel and this should be easy, but it doesn't make me clairvoyant or telepathic, which I guess is what I'd really need to feel totally safe with another person."

Brett lowered his head and rewrapped his arms so his hug completely engulfed both Shane and Gabi. They stayed that way for a long while with the movie running in the background and all three hearts beating fast.

Then Shane started squirming. He shifted himself sideways against Brett and pretty much dragged Gabi into both their laps to form something like an equilateral triangle. Gabi almost fell when Shane lunged to turn off the movie, but both guys' arms held her in place.

Shane took a deep breath and met Brett's eyes and then Gabi's. "All three of us want this. We want to trust each other. We want to be everything the others need. But it's all new, and we're going to have to figure it out together. I have the advantage with attraction that I know I'm attracted to both of you and you're both attracted to me. Gabi, as the Sentinel, has the advantage of extra information. Brett has the advantage of greater experience with sex, touch, and relationships. But we all should be able to pool our advantages, and we also have three very helpful spirit animals that bonded to each other before we even met."

"I want to be done with the two year thing," Gabi said.

"Now?" Shane asked.

Gabi nodded, wanting very much, but mostly feeling sad. She couldn't bring herself to meet either of her Guide's eyes.

"Breathe, Gabi." It was Brett who said it, and Gabi was glad all over again that the three of them were together in this. "No one's doing anything while you're afraid to look at us or speak. Now we know it's an option, we can just be together, touch and talk, and see what works out and when."

Gabi smiled but tears spilled from her eyes. Brett and Shane pulled her tighter between them.

"Would it be easier to tell us what you want or what you're afraid of?" Brett asked.

"I've already told you what I'm afraid of." Gabi wiped her face on her sleeve and hated the rough fabric. Shane slowly leaned forward and kissed her cheek where the tears had been.

"I'm a little afraid of having intercourse with you the first time," Shane said. "I want it to be perfect, but I have no experience. I've never even put a condom on, and I know if the hymen is intact it can hurt the first time."

Gabi appreciated Shane sharing his insecurities to go along with hers, but the details struck her as funny. "My hymen took care of itself a long time ago. I have a birth control implant, but if we want to use condoms for now, I could put one on you."

"Or I could," Brett offered cheekily.

Shane scrunched his eyes closed but had a broad smile on his face. "Either of those options might end things rather sooner than intended."

"That," Gabi said.

"That what?" Shane asked, starting to stroke circles where the muscles in her back had tensed.

"I guess I have issues with the idea that sex ends when the guy comes. The stuff I got dragged into before was all about that, but what you and Brett have doesn't seem like that at all. I mean, I understand the mechanics, but…"

Brett smiled and said, "Let me tell you what I've experienced. First, almost any guy has got to be a little jealous of women for being able to have multiple orgasms pretty much right after each other. Second, while some guys may lose interest or even fall asleep after, neither Shane nor I do much, at least not after the first orgasm. I'm pretty sure I could keep fucking him for an hour after he came, and he wouldn't even mind being sore the next day. Being a Sentinel, you'll know if he's more sensitive in certain areas after coming, but if nothing else, he's a great kisser all the time." Shane shrugged and raised his eyebrows suggestively at them both, but Gabi could feel the rush of blood to his face that would have been an obvious blush on Brett. "Also, anyone who would leave you hanging is a jerk, and none of us intend to be jerks. We should all promise to say if we're still horny or need touch or want affection, comfort, or something we don't have a word for. Even if we can't always satisfy each other in whatever way, we need to know and be there for each other."

"I don't think I can say that stuff sometimes." Gabi shook her head, knowing Brett was right but knowing she couldn't keep that promise.

"So we work up to it. You had to work up to telling me when you felt sick or just bad. Will you promise to try as hard with this?"

"Okay."

Brett's hand slid up to massage Gabi's neck while Shane was still rubbing her back. Gabi realized she'd just been holding onto them both throughout their conversation in this spread out triangular hug. She wanted to give more, but being a Sentinel didn't help her know what to do at all. Instead, her mind flipped over into science mode. "I know how the security on Ancient crystals works. I need to go to my lab."

"Now?" Brett asked.

"You two can carry on without me."

#

Brett and Shane looked at each other. Then Shane smiled, "We'll come with you."

Brett ended up sitting on the floor with his back against the wall between the ZPMs and Gabi's shelves of gadgets and power sources. He watched Gabi and Shane poke at the casings that held various crystals. They used wires and tools too small to maneuver without a magnifying lens.

Gabi was saying, "The shift that lets us charge a ZPM by realigning power conduits shares the underlying architecture that lets Guides fly Jumpers." She pulled an Ancient panel from her shelf and told Shane, "Think the yellow crystal on."

A row of lights at the bottom of the panel lit up. Then one of them must have thought it off because the lights went out. Gabi probed and adjusted something at the base of the yellow crystal. "Now think 'on.'"

After a moment Shane shook his head, "It doesn't work."

"We could set the Jumpers to only work for Sentinels. We could set the control chair to work for Guides." Gabi was bouncing and waving the very small tool she'd used for the adjustments.

"I suspect there's a safety reason for the setting on the chair," Brett said from his seat on the floor. "Tomorrow, I'll show you the entry in the Ancient database that first let me pin down the code for Sentinels."

"Right," Gabi said as she picked up another crystal device. "We shouldn't change anything until we understand the default settings. But I bet the chair has a safety protocol. I bet it could be set to only respond to one Sentinel, just like the personal shields, except with those it's hardwired in. I think I could make a new personal shield now."

"Tonight?" Brett asked. He'd told himself when Gabi couldn't meet their eyes while talking about sex that he wouldn't push for anything tonight. Still, his body had been all ramped up with Shane and Gabi rubbing against him during and after the movie. If nothing else, it was late and he'd like to be in bed with them.

"I'll stay up all night if you want," Shane said.

Brett sighed and sank against the wall. Then Gabi's reply had him back at full attention and halfway to his feet.

"Dr. Kusanagi seemed to think you'd want me to take the lead, in sex I mean. And you said you were worried about having intercourse the first time. But I've never done that either, and while I don't think I'll zone with you, I might freak or get way too stressed about it, but I mostly need to know if that's what you'd want."

Shane shuddered, and Brett stood the rest of the way and moved to stand behind the two most important people in his life.

When Shane didn't reply beyond a shrug, Brett said, "I think half of the shock here is that you discussed this with Dr. Kusanagi."

"Seriously, I think she would have taught me how to tie you both up and peg you if I'd wanted to learn."

Brett smiled, "You think she'd teach me if Shane wanted something and you weren't comfortable with it?"

#

Gabi was momentarily speechless at all the implications of that question. But it was a good kind of speechless. Finally she said, "I'll try to ask her eventually, if you're serious. I think she has a bunch of silk and leather stuff for that, too."

Brett did laugh then. "You'll be able to talk about anything you want in no time. Speaking of which, this is me saying I'd like to go back to our rooms and spend some time touching both of you."

By that point Shane had himself under control, although Gabi could smell his arousal and see how hard he was without even trying. "I guess this is where I admit I might like being dominated sometimes, and I think I'd like being tied up and whatever else either of you wants to try. That said," his eyes focused on Gabi as his voice grew rougher, "I'd also be happy to see you lie back and just enjoy whatever you wanted me to try for you. From the way we've explored kissing, I'm guessing we'll pass the initiative back and forth, at least to start with. Also, while I'm both eager and nervous about intercourse with you, Gabi, we can start with rubbing, fingers, mouths, whatever. As a Sentinel, you could probably dial up touch to come from cuddling on the couch if you wanted. I think for now you just need to tell us what you do or don't want. Is that easier to do ahead of time than in the moment?"

Gabi nodded and thought through what she needed to say. She packed away the crystals and instruments they'd been using as both Guides hovered near enough that they constantly brushed against each other. She let her hand drift down Shane's back as she tried to get the words out. "I think it would be easier not to worry about intercourse the very first time, but if you're ready to go again the same night, that could work. I don't know if or when I'll be ready to give a blow job, but anything else seems okay. Also, I think showering first would be good."

"All together?" Shane asked.

"Now?" Brett asked.

Gabi was flooded with relief at having her words accepted and being done with it so fast. "Sure." Easy as that, they all hurried back to their rooms, stripped, and piled into the shower together.

Her first step into the water caught Gabi off guard. It felt too good, and she was tuned into every square inch of her skin immediately.

"Oh, Gabi." A soapy hand on her neck was obviously Brett, doing just what he'd done earlier, but with a slippery soapy hand. "The look on your face is enough to make me twitch, and poor Shane is already rock hard."

Gabi opened her eyes, a bit disturbed that she hadn't meant to close them and all she'd been reacting to was the shower. She turned her touch down from three to two, but the water and Brett's hand still felt amazing. During parts of their conversations, she'd known that she was aroused by the topics as much as the guys were, but it took her a while to realize that could affect her perception of touch independent of her Sentinel control. It took her even longer to process what Brett had said.

"What do I look like?" Gabi asked Brett.

Shane answered instead, "Bliss. May I wash you?"

"Should I do anything?"

"Not yet," Shane answered. His soapy hands started sliding along her shoulders and arms.

"Want me to wash your hair?" Brett asked.

"Not really. It's complicated, and it doesn't need to be washed every night."

"Some other time then." Brett kept his warm hand gently massaging her neck, and she was glad for that constancy, because Shane's hands mapping her body were almost too much to bear.

"Do you need to dial down touch, Gabi?" Shane asked softly as his hands stroked her stomach and back.

"It is dialed down."

"Oh." Shane kissed her shoulder and pulled her into a hug from the side. She could feel his erection even though he'd shifted to avoid pressing it into her hip. It radiated heat she could sense with her eyes closed despite the inch of empty space and the shower water around them. His heart raced and his breathing was faster than usual. "Is it going to be okay for me to wash the rest of you?"

"If you want." The words didn't sound like her, but she thought she was doing well to talk at all.

"Oh yes, I want." He held on to her a moment longer and then his hands slipped smoothly and without demand along her ass and through her pubic hair.

For a moment she was really close to coming, but Shane continued washing down her thighs and calves until he finished with her feet.

"Do you want me to use a washcloth now?" Shane asked.

Gabi groaned.

Brett laughed and kissed her cheek.

Gabi opened her eyes to find a beautiful, smiling, wet Shane in front of her. "That's more than enough for me right now. Tell me what you want?" she asked.

"If we're talking fantasies, I want to lean back against Brett while you wash the front of me, and then I want to hold tight to you while Brett washes the back of me."

"Just to be clear," Gabi asked, seeing how hard Shane had been this whole time and how fast Brett had gotten hard when Shane expressed his fantasy, "Are we talking about shower sex or just washing?"

Shane smiled wide, "If we're planning on some sort of sex afterward, I think I can deal with washing as foreplay. Just go easy on me. As a Sentinel, you'll probably know if I'm too close to coming, but whatever happens is fine." With that, he moved to lean his back against Brett, sliding his hips so Brett's cock poked out under Shane's balls.

Both men's breath hitched at once. Brett's eyes closed, and his hands came to rest on Shane's hips, gripping tightly and then relaxing. Gabi stared and then covered her eyes as the smell of their arousal and sound of their hearts beating rapidly in sync hit her.

She opened her eyes and met Shane's soft gaze.

"Still okay?" he asked.

"Yeah." Gabi soaped up her hands and started with his shoulders and arms, just as he'd done for her. The muscles were solid and smooth under her hands. He hummed or purred or whatever that sound he made was, and Brett stifled a moan. Gabi enjoyed the way each touch triggered some slight change in sound or tension of muscles in Shane. She was amused by how often Shane's reactions triggered small movements or sounds from Brett, who still had his eyes closed.

Shane's chest was familiar to her now, and she let her touch sensitivity slide up a little as her fingers mapped each contour and patch of skin. Brushing across Shane's nipples made him shiver, and his heart raced. If he'd wanted to come in the shower, Gabi thought she could have brought him to the edge if not over in about a minute with targeted touches to his nipples alone. Instead, she moved on to his abdomen and sides as he calmed just a little. Then rather than let either of them think too much about what came next, Gabi ran her soapy hands into his pubic hair on both sides and slid one hand up his cock with the same pressure she's used everywhere else.

Shane's body jerked and tensed. Brett tensed behind him and where his hands still held Shane's hips. They both gasped, but Shane kept his eyes wide and smiled to let her know everything was still good.

Her sense memory replayed the feel of Shane's cock in her hand. It was arousing and barely triggered any bad memories at all. Gabi took a little more soap and knelt down to clean Shane's legs.

Gabi felt him tense and made her touch a little firmer. Brett tensed as well and let out a little gasp. She looked up to see both Shane and Brett looking down at her. It only then occurred to her that they were reacting to the view of her kneeling in front of Shane. She wasn't sure if it was erotic or they were worried she'd trigger on her issue about giving blow jobs. Since she hadn't triggered on that when she watched Brett blow Shane, kneeling didn't seem like much of an issue to her. Filing their reactions in her brain for later research, Gabi went back to mapping Shane's legs, which she hadn't fully studied before. She found sensitive spots by his ankle, knee and groin that she had plans to revisit sometime in a different context.

When she stood, Shane pressed up against her. Brett started washing his back almost immediately, which started Shane humming again. The humming sound and vibrations felt reassuring, like sharing a blanket.

Gabi noticed that Shane's cock was pressed upright between them rather than between her legs. She wondered if Shane chose that for his benefit or hers. As it was, Gabi was more aware of Shane's body as her Guide and someone she loved and wanted to hold close than as someone she would soon be having sex with. He felt amazingly good against her, but at the same time his arousal made her feel protective, like he was more vulnerable and open at the moment. The need to be worthy of that trust reminded her of Kusanagi asking if Shane might want to give up control to her. This wasn't bondage, but his fantasy involved each lover holding him for a turn while the other took care of him. That much of what Shane wanted clicked and made sense to her.

Then Shane shuddered, and Gabi saw Brett kneeling behind him cleaning rather intimately around and inside Shane's hole. It seemed logical to Gabi even if she hadn't considered that implication of the guys' sex lives before. It also made her think about what she wanted them to do later than night. She held Shane to her a little tighter and kissed his ear. He shivered and his cock twitched. She could feel muscles humming with tension even as the sounds he made shifted up in pitch a little. As a Sentinel not too well trained in such details, she didn't think he risked coming at any moment, but it was enough to make her hold him carefully. She moved a hand to his neck and rubbed the way Brett had for her. That seemed to help.

For Brett's turn, he asked Gabi to wash his back while Shane washed his front. Her hands and Sentinel senses took free reign to learn Brett's sensitive areas and reactions. Unable to see exactly what Shane was doing, she deduced from reactions that Shane was more of a flirt while washing Brett than she could have coped with when he washed her. When they both knelt to wash Brett's legs, they made a game of letting their fingers touch and smiling across at each other.

Perhaps they took longer than strictly necessary, because Brett eventually ended it saying, "Time for bed, you two are much too cute together."

They all climbed into bed naked. Gabi and Brett cuddled up along Shane's sides as usual, and he let out a somewhat disturbing high pitched keening sound. Then he said, "I'm not going to last long this first time. Do you have something in mind?"

Gabi pulled back so only her hand rested on Shane, and Brett gave him a similar space on the other side. Once more, Gabi gathered her thoughts, determined to manage the most difficult part of sex for now: words.

"I'm not sure how this would work exactly, but I'd kind of imagined Brett inside Shane the first time with me at Shane's front and rubbing and touching and stuff. Then if Shane wanted to be inside me later, either with sleep or cuddling in between, then I guess Brett could figure out his own preferred rubbing or touching or whatever."

Shane gulped.

Brett said, "Oh, yeah. I can work with that. I could work with that as just a fantasy and maybe just want to watch the second part. But first, I should ask you science types if you want to monitor for energy readings or whatever tonight."

Gabi couldn't believe she hadn't thought of that. The equipment was in a box in her room. It would take just a minute to set up.

"Fine with me," Shane said. "Want me to set it up?"

"I can get it." Gabi hurried out of bed and had no problem putting everything in place by the door to her room with the lights off. It was good to be a Sentinel and a geek.

Then she climbed back under the covers and realized she didn't know what to do next.

"You want me to suggest a position?" Brett asked.

Both Gabi and Shane immediately answered, "Yes."

Brett leaned across and kissed Gabi, and it stirred memories of kissing over Shane before, which helped. Then Brett kissed Shane, who shivered and keened.

"Roll on your side," Brett said, and he rolled Shane by the hip to face Gabi. "You want the blankets or not?" he asked Gabi.

"Not especially?" She managed to answer, but it came out as a question.

Brett pushed all their covers to the foot of the bed. Then he guided Shane's top leg forward so his thigh was at a ninety degree angle to his body and his calf bent down from the knee. Brett stroked a hand sensuously down Shane's spine and along the cleft of his ass.

Shane's heart raced.

"I could take Shane like this. You could do what you want along his front, maybe slide his top leg between yours. Once I'm in him, he'll probably come as soon as you touch his cock, but he's said he's okay with that even if it takes me a little longer. What do you think?"

"Won't you feel like we're not paying attention to you?"

Brett smiled and reached out to stroke Gabi's hair and cheek. "I'm more concerned I'll distract him too much from what you want to do." Brett squeezed Shane's ass, and Shane groaned demonstrably. "For myself, I find seeing or even thinking about the two of you together is hot. And if you want to touch any part of me, that's fine, but not at all necessary. I know both Shane and I will enjoy this, but are you sure it's what you want?"

"It was my idea, remember?"

Brett leaned forward and kissed her again. "You can change your mind, tell us to stop, or change what we're doing at any point."

Shane had been silent as they talked over him. At that point he took Gabi's hand and squeezed. "We love you."

"We both do," Brett added.

"I love you both, too."

Gabi slid into place facing Shane and kissed him. At first it was soft and exploratory again. Then Shane's lower arm slid under her neck and across her back. He pulled her closer, and when his knee brushed against her thigh, she let it slide between her legs. That was a completely new sensation.

Gabi had no idea the insides of her thighs could be that sensitive. Shane's leg wasn't quite touching her groin, but her whole body practically convulsed. He kissed her through it, the kiss getting wetter and messier. Gabi thought about dialing down touch but didn't want to. Instead, she squirmed forward and used her legs to adjust Shane's until it was touching her groin. Each individual pubic hair sent a telegraph to her brain saying that was very, very good.

After a short time both she and Shane were panting into each other's mouths, not even able to kiss. Their eyes met and just blinked at each other. That's when Shane's upper hand, which had been holding Gabi's, gave a squeeze and released. Shane started petting her hip.

She shivered and reached for Shane's hip. From just the vibrations running through his body, she could tell that Brett hadn't done much yet, maybe moved one or two fingers into Shane. Gabi reached farther, trying to connect to Brett somehow. He caught her hand with the one he wasn't using on Shane.

Brett pulled her hand to his mouth and started kissing the fingers in time to what he was doing inside Shane.

Simultaneously, Shane's upper hand slid from Gabi's hip to her chest. He caressed the side of her breast and then smoothed his palm across her nipple. Her thighs clenched around Shane's thigh, and suddenly she was about one second from coming. Shane moaned, and she started rocking against his leg. Brett sucked one of her fingers into his mouth and started sucking in time to her rocking.

That was all it took, she was coming and pleasure pulsed through her. It pulsed through the air around her and the hands and leg touching her. Shane's eyes seemed to swallow her, and she felt Shane's amazement and contentedness even as some echo of surprise pulsed through the mouth on her finger.

Then Brett took her finger from his mouth but kept a tight hold on her hand. Shane's hand on her breast tightened for an instant and then moved to her shoulder, pulling her closer as the arm across her back tightened as well. Shane was breathing hard and fast, but she could tell he was trying to hold on and not come yet, so she tried not to move until he calmed down a little.

Then Brett guided the hand he held to Shane's neck. He let go, and she took the hint to offer Shane a soothing touch there for a while.

Shane soon pulled Gabi in for more kissing. She shifted the hand she'd trapped below and between them so she could tease Shane's nipples. He gasped and moved a hand back to play with hers. Brett must have finished prepping Shane at that point, because there was a moment of stillness and then Shane was keening into her mouth and his heart was racing. She stilled her hands on his body until he was gasping for breath again.

Then Brett started rocking into Shane in a way that nudged Shane's thigh perfectly against Gabi's clit. She moaned and started stroking Shane's nipple and his back. He moaned and shivered all over. Gabi knew he was close and wasn't sure any of them could or wanted to stop it.

Sliding her hand from Shane's back to his hip to his groin, she wrapped her fingers carefully around his cock. In an instant he was pushing forward into her hand and then shoving back onto Brett's cock. With every movement Shane's thigh rubbed against Gabi, and she let her sense of touch ride with it.

Shane gasped.

Brett moaned.

Shane came in streams all over Gabi's hand and between them. Gabi's second orgasm pulsed through her while Shane's thigh kept moving to a rhythm Brett set. Shane's fingers kept brushing against Gabi's nipple and their lips caressed each other. Gabi wasn't sure if she had the longest orgasm of her life or if she came a third time just after her second that night, but this time she felt it tugging throughout her whole body. She heard Brett grunting and knew from the sound and smell that he was coming, too. She drifted almost without thought, feeling happy, relaxed, and kind of melted. Falling asleep seemed like a good idea after all, because her brain could very happily stay just as it was.

After a while, she heard someone moving. Then someone was cleaning her hand and Shane's cock and abdomen. Her spaced out perceptions eventually realized it must be Brett.

When she opened her eyes, he held up a second washcloth and asked, "Do you want to wash up at all?"

Slowly her senses reported back that yes she would like to clean up a few places. She took the washcloth. Brett smiled down at her and said, "If you two roll over to the far mattress, I can change the sheets on this one."

Then Brett pretty much lifted Shane over her. Shane didn't let go of Gabi, so they effectively rolled, and she ended up facing him from the other direction.

"You okay?" She asked Shane.

"We all bonded," he said as if a little stunned to be talking. "And then there was more sex after that. And it was…" He didn't finish in any way even a Sentinel could hear. Instead he burrowed his head into Gabi's neck and started kissing her.

When Brett came back to bed, he lay down on the freshly changed sheet and pulled the covers up over them all. Gabi was in the middle. Shane was still quietly kissing her neck. Brett wrapped an arm around both her and Shane and asked, "Are you sleepy or want something more?"

"Neither?" Gabi's body felt very relaxed, but definitely not sleepy. Waves of pleasure still seemed to wash over her, and what Shane was doing at her neck felt really good. "I'm not going to sleep anytime soon, but I can't think of anything more that I want. What about you?"

"I kind of want to see what you'll react to and what you might want without even knowing it. Does that sound good or too complicated for tonight?"

"It sounds like the best research project ever," Gabi answered.

Brett beamed at her, clearly remembering the moment she referred to, and started kissing gently all over her face.

Gabi laughed and ran fingers through both his hair and Shane's. Their hair was incredibly different. Brett's smelled like aloe and eucalyptus and was light and flyaway wherever it wasn't damp from sweat. Shane's was tight and coarse, cut very short, and smelled sweet and salty and like warm summer days. Taking in sensations from both her hands, with Brett kissing her face and Shane kissing her neck, made Gabi incredibly aware of her body. She noticed every wrinkle in the sheet beneath her and every puff of air that crossed her skin.

Then Brett skimmed a hand to lift the hair from Gabi's forehead and she shivered.

"What's your sense of touch set at?" Brett asked.

Shane looked up from where he'd been nuzzling and waited for Gabi to answer.

"3.5, but being aroused seems to add to that some other way." When Brett raised his eyebrows at her and smirked she said, "I noticed earlier."

"Was touch at 3.5 before?" Shane asked.

Brett went back to stroking Gabi's hair, and without the other distractions Gabi seemed even more aware of that touch. "By the end. Right now my perceptions are all over the place, but I don't think I'm going to zone."

"How does this feel?" Shane asked.

He stroked across her breast and nipple, and Gabi could feel goose bumps spreading outward from his touch. Her eyes wanted to close again. "Pretty amazing."

Shane leaned down and licked her nipple. He licked across and around. Then he started sucking. The touch and licking were tantalizing, but the sucking seemed to tug straight to her groin. For a minute or two her brain could only catalog all the strange new touch feedback she was receiving. Then she had to try more.

"Okay, I really need a chance to try that on someone else." Gabi sat up and studied her two Guides. "Which of you has the most sensitive nipples?"

Shane nodded toward Brett.

"Should we each take one side?"

Shane nodded again.

Gabi looked to Brett, "Okay with you?"

#

Brett laughed and sprawled across the center mattress with his arms tucked behind his head. Gabi climbed around to his right while Shane crawled in on his left. The two of them smiled at each other and then leaned in to lick his nipples like two cats sharing a bowl of cream.

Brett shuddered at the twin assault even though he'd seen every move and expected it. While they didn't both hit the same angle, both licked with the same rhythm. It was like having a lover with two tongues. Thinking about that combined with feeling it was enough to make Brett very hard very fast. "Oh my, god. This is the most amazing thing ever. My brain is meeeeelting."

Then he just panted for a while. He tried not to thrust with his chest or pelvis. He tried to lose himself in the moment, but his brain came up with an even better idea. "Shane's turn now."

Brett rolled to his left, manhandling Shane onto his back. Shane looked up at him a little stunned, and Brett said, "You are going to love this."

Then Brett positioned himself so he straddled Shane's left leg. He lowered himself to a position where he could rub off against Shane's thigh, lick his nipple, and support part of his weight on his own elbow. He motioned for Gabi to take the same position with Shane's right leg and nipple, and she was there in an instant. Then they both started licking together. Brett was pretty sure Gabi copied his rhythm, but it must have come to her pretty much instantly with whatever Sentinel senses she used. When he started rocking his hips into Shane's thigh, Gabi moved with him exactly. It was incredibly intimate with their hips brushing together. Shane's cock perked up at grazing touches along their sides, but mostly he was only getting teased in that region. Probably for the best. As they really got going, he squirmed so hard he would have been out from under them without two bodies pressing him down.

Brett knew he could come like this if he wanted. He suspected Gabi could as he heard her moan with every motion. Her breast swept across Shane's chest no matter which way they came at Shane's nipples. They'd tried circles, side to side, up and down, hard sucking, soft sucking. Brett decided to wait for another occasion to bring in the idea of nipping, since they hadn't really discussed that with Gabi yet. Besides, Brett thought it might be time to move on to the next stage. He lifted his mouth and whispered to Gabi, "I could put a condom on him for you if you want to try that."

She lifted her head from Shane's nipple and kissed Brett's mouth. "Yes, please."

Brett moved her hand to take over the nipple he'd been licking as he shifted to get supplies. It was surprisingly hot to prepare Shane for Gabi. Brett knew they didn't need the sort of prep and lubrication two guys would, but he made sure things would slide easily this first time, and Shane moaned right into the touch.

"All yours now," Brett whispered when he finished.

"Are you sure?" Gabi asked.

"I promise to take very good care of myself as I watch you two." With that Brett leaned back on a couple of pillows and started stroking himself with the lube left on his hand from prepping Shane.

Gabi stretched her long body higher along Shane and said, "I'll start on top, but we can experiment if you want."

Shane threw his head back and panted.

Gabi kissed the corner of his mouth and down to his ear.

He shuddered beneath her and said, "Please!"

For someone who had never done this before, Gabi was incredibly graceful. She was taller than Shane and when she lined up above him and arched down onto him, she looked like the bow to his string.

She slid down him in one smooth glide, watching his face the whole time. It surprised Brett at first that Gabi's expression was peaceful and almost awed while Shane was sweating with his eyes and mouth wide opened. Then he recognized that Gabi was a Sentinel claiming and taking care of her Guide. She may have worried more ahead of time, but in the moment she was monitoring every sense and controlling every variable she could. Whereas Shane must be trying desperately not to come as he felt his cock engulfed in one warm wet slide.

Shane was right to have saved this first time for Gabi. As she settled down with him deep inside her, both of them smiled like they'd invented the sex act.

As Gabi started moving up and down, Brett stroked himself to match what he saw. She tried pulling almost all the way off and sinking down slowly. Then she tried faster, then shallower, then shallow and slow. She tried rocking at different angles with Shane deep inside her. Kissing while rocking hard got Shane fisting the sheets and practically hyperventilating before he had to turn his face to breathe. Gabi found a way to circle and grind that made her close her eyes. She then repositioned a couple of times trying to hit some elusive spot inside. Shane mostly stared at Gabi's breasts and how they bounced during that part.

Brett watched the two of them like a moving animation for the Kama Sutra. Even if he hadn't been trying to imitate the stimulation for himself, he couldn't help but imagine what not only Shane was feeling, but Gabi, too. She'd rearrange his self-perceptions of gender as well as sexuality at this rate. Or maybe she'd just rearrange his perceptions of Gabi and their connection. Her comments about who she'd want to share a significant moment with hit home. She and Shane were sharing this with him, and he experienced it that way. If they hadn't been before, he was pretty sure they were all married after this.

At that point Shane pulled himself together enough to say, "Do you want to try it another way?"

Gabi nodded, "Any way you want."

Gabi leaned in to kiss him. Shane wrapped one arm around her back and used the other to push himself to sitting.

She was kneeling astride his lap still kissing, and Brett knew exactly how great a kisser Shane was. Shane kissed with intent as his free hand almost casually moved Gabi's legs to wrap around his back. Then he got his own legs bent to kneeling under them and somehow lowered Gabi down onto her back while keeping himself still inside her.

Brett doubted that move would work with two guys. Then again, he didn't think it would work with Gabi and Shane, and he'd just watched the whole thing.

Shane started rocking into Gabi. It must have worked out well enough because she let out a sort of squeal. It didn't seem like a very Gabi noise, but soon she was unfolding her legs to plant her feet outside Shane's knees. She lifted her hips. Shane stayed right with her, and she was making another high pitched noise in time to his thrusts.

Then Gabi was grabbing at the bed sheets, and Shane was grunting and moving faster and faster. Brett's hand sped up with them. He let his thumb graze the crown of his cock, because he was pretty sure this was about to be over, and he wanted to be right there with them.

Then Gabi squealed and managed to get one hand rubbing her clit as Shane shook hard and held on to her hips. Brett came so hard spots of light crowded his vision of the two people he could never leave. It echoed in his mind that they would never leave him either.

#

Gabi passed from spasms of pleasure to spasms of something woven into the pleasure, something amazingly strong and safe and hers. For a moment, she thought she could feel both Shane and Brett with her, around her, passing through her. They were cables carrying unique vibrations that somehow fit perfectly with hers. Together they made the amazing something that felt so right and safe.

Then she was lying on her back. If she'd felt melted before, this time she was a puddle. She sensed a puddle of Shane-ness beside her. For a moment she wished she knew where Brett was and if he felt any of this. Then she heard him moving, washing himself in the bathroom, coming back to wipe her and Shane somewhat clean. She wanted to tell him they'd be all right, that he didn't need to change the sheets at least.

He didn't change the sheets this time. When he lay down on the far side of Shane, Gabi managed to roll to her side and reach an arm across to hold both of them. Everything was right in her world then.

#

Brett woke as Shane sat up in bed saying, "Where's Gabi?"

"I'm in here." She peeked through the open door from her room, backlit by a faint bluish light that had to come from her laptop. She was still naked and had the lines and grace Brett had admired as she bent over Shane the night before. "You'll never guess what these energy readings show."

"I'm a shaman. I don't have to guess."

The silhouette of Gabi standing in mock indignation with hands on her hips was hilarious. Brett leaned back to enjoy the show.

"Are you saying that to be obnoxious, or do you have data to contribute?"

"Two events, all three of us bonded in both, and the first one wasn't quite when you expected."

"Huh." Gabi came back to bed and pulled the covers onto her lap as she sat down next to Shane. "Okay, I can collaborate the first two items. I don't exactly have timestamps to work with for the last one. Teach on, oh great Shaman of Atlantis."

"Maybe I should print business cards."

Gabi pounced forward tickling Shane. That pushed him partly on top of Brett. Not wanting to choose sides, Brett tickled both Sentinel and shaman. Soon all three of them were a tangled laughing mess.

Gabi's stomach growled louder than their flagging laughter.

"We should get breakfast," Brett said.

"Shower first," Gabi said.

"Shower sex?" Shane asked.

Gabi poked him in the ribs, and Shane convulsed in laughter. When he'd quieted Gabi said, "Don't taunt the Sentinel. You still haven't told me what misassumptions I might have about the first spike of bonding energy last night."

"Which orgasm?" Shane asked with a proud smirk.

"If all three of us bonded, wouldn't it have to be when we all came at once?"

"Despite what seems logical to you as a scientist, the part that's a Sentinel knows it was when you first came. Think back through your sense memory. Do you need help?"

Gabi shook her head and closed her eyes. "I remember Shane's leg between mine. His hands on my back and nipple. Brett was sucking loud and wet on my finger. Shane was panting. The smell of you both and your arousal was everywhere. Then my orgasm, Shane's contentment, and Brett's surprise. We connected! But why was Brett surprised?"

Brett found both sets of his lovers' eyes suddenly studying him. He had thought himself only an observer in this morning's discussion.

Thinking back to the night before, he'd been prepping Shane. He'd planned to only watch the parts happening between Gabi and Shane. Then Gabi's hand reached over, and he knew she wanted some connection. He started by kissing and ended up sucking her fingers. They all moved in rhythm, and then he'd felt the tremors of Gabi's orgasm like he was right there with her. Surprise had been his first reaction.

"I was surprised when Gabi came. Surprised I knew and surprised I felt so connected, so included. I wasn't even close to coming but Gabi gave off this intense orgasmic pleasure, and Shane seemed pleased and maybe proud, and I felt it all and was part of it. Whereas later when I came inside Shane it was intense and awesome sex, but I wasn't thinking mushy relationship stuff that time." Gabi smiled at him in the soft, unguarded way he could never see enough. Shane still looked a little smug.

Brett knew he had to tell the rest. "Later when I was watching the two of you, I was sort of trying to duplicate your rhythm and what the two of you were doing. I was surprised that I identified with what Gabi was experiencing at least as much as Shane's side of things. Then at the end I had these thoughts like we were getting married or making some promise in that moment to be together forever. I may have driven people crazy with sentimental crap before, but I have never even come close to thoughts like that about marriage before."

"Wow." Gabi buried her face in her hands for a moment before looking up and pushing her hair back in a crazy puff. "I had this weird, almost otherworldly sense of being safe with both of you. But it was like you were cables or the vibrations carried on the cables all around me, and I was part of whatever that mechanism was."

Suddenly Shane snapped out of his calm. "Gabi, have you ever taken yourself to the spirit plane before?"

"With Brett, after our animals merged, but that was like a rainforest or something."

Shane stroked Brett's arm. "That was probably his idea of the spirit plane." Reaching out his other hand to rub small circles at the base of Gabi's back, Shane said, "Think, Gabi, or use your Sentinel sense memory. Where were you when you envisioned the three of us as cables or vibrations in a mechanism?"

Gabi closed her eyes as before, but this time her face scrunched up. Hurt passed across her features and muscles tightened across her shoulders and back. Brett wanted to hold her, comfort her. But Shane must have asked for a reason, so he was waiting it out, only touching Gabi as he'd been before on her lower back.

Finally she opened wet eyes and glared at Shane. "Did you know?"

For once, Shane looked honestly alarmed, but his voice stayed calm. "I don't know. What are you asking?"

"The night my part of the key was stolen. I tuned into the vibrations in my sleep. It made me hurt and miserable the next day, and I didn't even figure it out. It did no good. And I heard your spirit animal while I was in that vibration place. I was sensing things as if I were part of the microbot array I designed for my Master's project. Is that how I see the spirit plane?"

Shane blinked slowly a couple of times. His attention was focused on Gabi, and he looked sad. "I knew you touched the spirit plane that night. That's how I finally got close enough to find you. I didn't know how bad your experience was then, but I hope last night makes you feel better about it. The fact that you, especially being a Sentinel and so tied to your senses, connect with the spirit plane in a way most of us could barely imagine… It makes me love and admire you even more."

Gabi huffed out a breath. "You make it very hard to stay annoyed at you."

Brett took that as permission and pulled both of them into the hug he'd been waiting to give.

Gabi's stomach growled loudly again. They managed to wash, dress, and walk to the mess hall without being derailed by sex, science, or deep conversations.

#

Gabi spotted Dr. Kusanagi with her Sentinel while still filling a tray with every breakfast item available. She motioned to her Guides and went to ask, "Can we join you?"

"Certainly," Kusanagi gestured to the chair beside her and Gabi sat down.

As Brett and Shane slid in with trays even more heaping that Gabi's, Dr. Beckett said, "It's good to see young people with such healthy appetites."

Shane and Brett burst into laughter instantly, but Gabi ignored them and turned to Kusanagi. "I've reprogrammed the energy and frequency detector and it can correctly identify bonding energy and the individuals participating in the bond. I think it can correctly differentiate charging energy put in or drawn from the ZPMs and personal shield crystals, and it would be great if you and Dr. Beckett could charge a crystal as a test case. Then, I think I know how to make more personal shields. I've figured out what the first part of the code does when drawing energy from the spirit plane, and you'd already figured out the part where it secures it for a single user. Last night I discovered a similar architecture for how to change settings as to who can control a Jumper. The rest is a matter of aligning the interface between the data in the casing and the power crystal. Is there someone you'd recommend to help adapt that to what we can build?"

Kusanagi nodded steadily. "Dr. Zelenka. I will ask him to meet with both of us. Congratulations, you have made great progress since we last spoke."

"It's all coming together. If I could take readings from a couple of different Sentinels in the control chair, maybe Dr. Beckett and myself?" Beckett looked at Kusanagi with a mix of fear and pleading, but she dismissed his worries with a quick headshake.

Gabi continued, "I think the chair and some other complex devises are set to only work for Sentinels because they use some component of whatever bonds a Sentinel and Guide. Whatever simulation of bonding it generates is needed to stabilize energy drawn directly from another dimension that way. My readings from two spirit animals merging don't make sense with physics as we understand it, and that could mean it's based in a different physics from a different part of the multiverse. I'll have to ask McKay about that. But in the meantime, the ZPMs and personal shield generator give us a safe procedure to store energy in crystals." Gabi turned to face Beckett who was still observing with some caution. "While the spirit animals merging was a fast and dangerous use of energy, there might be ways to use energy stored in a crystal for slower healing, but it might be specific to the Guide or Sentinel who charged the crystal. I'm not sure yet."

Beckett finally smiled, "It sounds a wee bit like someone banking blood for himself or a relative before a planned surgery."

"Maybe," Gabi felt a smile stretching her face and briefly thought she should reign in her enthusiasm before someone got annoyed. But sitting with her Guides and Kusanagi and Beckett this morning, she gave in and let herself run with it. "I have individual patterns charted for each Sentinel and Guide I've tested. I don't know much about the DNA and genetic markers and the proteins you track, but if we set up a combined database, I could run a cluster analysis to see if any details you're tracking line up with any of my data."

When Brett, Shane, and maybe even Dr. Beckett looked confused, Kusanagi said, "Imagine Gabi identified two Sentinels as having similar frequency profiles and those two also turned out to share the same genetic markers in Carson's file. That correlation might suggest some sort of cause and effect. They would have to come up with testable hypotheses, such as a particular part of the genome leading to the vibrational sensitivity Gabi and the Colonel display, but it could effectively double the data each of them has to work with."

"Lovely, we'll have to protect some confidentiality issues, but then maybe we could coordinate with Blair and his group on Earth." Beckett smiled and sipped his tea.

"Do you think we could ask for information from Dr. Jackson?" Gabi asked. "Combining this with what Brett found, I think the Ancients' energy research might relate to their studies of ascension. I wish we knew if Jackson's jellyfish glowed before he ever ascended. Maybe if we meet one of the Ascended here something they do will register on my monitor."

#

Brett nearly choked. He set down his fork and everyone at the table stilled. He waved off their attention and they moved on to discussing spirit animals.

Until that moment, he'd been riding along on Gabi's post bonding euphoria. It was great to see her energized and sparking off ideas. Then what Beckett said about confidentiality issues and Gabi's grand scheme about combining her findings with Brett's and Beckett's and maybe Jackson's landed sideways in his brain. He was instantly sure Sandburg's last, isolated message hadn't been an answer, it had been a warning. Usually Dr. Sandburg wrote to Brett with questions, explanations and conditionals. When he'd written that Brett and his 'colleagues' should hold off on identity research and focus on security issues, Brett had been upset and hadn't realized how out of character the message itself was. Maybe the abrupt tone was supposed to make him notice. Brett would have to warn Gabi and Beckett that the information they were gathering might be misused to identify Sentinels and Guides, determine individuals' potentials to charge or use Ancient crystal devices, maybe even predict their access to the spirit plane. It didn't mean any of them had to stop learning, but maybe something was brewing on Earth that they weren't aware of.

"But the spirit animals access that energy," Gabi was saying. "Maybe they're like minor Ascended, or a part of each Sentinel or Guide that is Ascended, or something similar involving the spirit plane. Is that plausible, Shane?"

Shane gleefully nudged Gabi in the ribs and Brett relaxed a little. "Most legends say the spirit animals choose their Sentinel or Guide."

"So the birds chose the Air Force Sentinels because they liked to fly?"

Gabi glanced across the room suddenly and Brett followed her gaze to see Lorne choking and Teyla patting his back. Gabi said in a normal voice, "You're welcome to join the conversation if you're interested, Major Lorne."

At that their whole table looked over at the recovering major. He and Teyla picked up their trays and joined the now crowded discussion.

"We're leaving in just a few minutes," Lorne said, "And I didn't mean to eavesdrop. But Teyla and I were just discussing spirit animals last night." He shrugged and raised a forkful of scrambled eggs.

"I have only seen our two spirit animals thus far, and only on our first day together in the Wraith holding cell. There is nothing like them in our legends of Sentinels and Guides." Teyla lifted her tea in both hands but made no move to drink as she scanned around the table to see who would respond.

"Do any of your stories involved spirits?" Shane asked as soon as he swallowed a mouthful of pancake.

"The great spirits and the ancestors, but nothing personal and no animals."

"How long has it been since your people had a Sentinel?" Shane asked before taking another bite of food.

"Not since the ancestors departed."

"Wait," Brett asked, "By ancestors, you don't mean your own previous generations, do you? What do you mean by 'since the ancestors departed'?"

Teyla considered Brett for a long moment before saying, "The Ancestors are the ones who built Atlantis, what we call the City of the Ancestors, and gave us the stargates, which we call Rings of the Ancestors."

For once, Brett felt like a working anthropologist, even if his realization was as much about linguistics. "So 10,000 years ago," Brett said, "The 'Ancestors' skipped town and didn't leave you with any Sentinels."

"If some of the runners are Sentinels," Shane said, "Then they must have left Sentinels on some planets. Sentinels are also rare on Earth and may only trigger when their Guide is near or in extreme situations that put the Sentinels at great risk. The small and scattered populations here may work against them emerging."

"But there have been people who could sense the Wraith, what we call Guides, on Athos all this time," Brett said.

"From some hateful speech our team heard while tracking Lieutenant Ford," Teyla said, "I suspect several populations may have killed off their Guides, considering them to be Wraith spawn. Perhaps something similar or some hazard from their senses destroyed the Sentinels on Athos or other planets long ago."

Brett checked Shane for any reaction, but of course, he'd predicted such prejudice and showed nothing but attentiveness now.

"Or the genetics could be passed on differently," Beckett said. He leaned forward over his tray. "We still don't understand Guide genetics at all, and there's clearly more to Sentinels than the basic ATA sequence and protein expression we originally identified. I wouldn't mind having a Wraith to examine." He turned to Gabi. "Would any of your research on Wraith technology show a stronger association with certain people's frequency distributions or whatever?"

"Not with what I have so far. I guess we all have lots of exciting research ahead of us," Gabi added as she finished her last bite of fruit. Brett determined to talk to her about security measures as soon as possible.

"And we have a planet to search," Lorne said as he stood with his tray.

"It was a pleasure talking with you," Teyla dipped her head to the table at large as she followed Lorne out.

"You seem to be very energized and cheerful today," Kusanagi said quietly to Gabi.

"Yeah, some of your advice was useful, especially your insight that bonding energy isn't just a onetime thing." Gabi smiled, and Brett caught his breath at the beauty of Gabi when she was happy and outgoing. "If you could tell me how you perceived bonding energy in certain situations and when you've noticed it, that could help me plan a whole other line of experiments. And if you're willing to talk with Brett sometime, he'd like to learn about, um, the other kind of bondage and stuff."

Kusanagi caught Brett's eye and winked.

Beckett sputtered, "Ach, now, I'll just be running along to my work on the far side of the city."

Kusanagi gave her Sentinel an innocent and pouty little girl smile. "I'll be thinking about you, dear."

Beckett gazed at her with big pleading eyes before hurrying away.

Dr. Kusanagi began stacking items on her tray. Then she spoke clearly and looked right at Brett as she said, "I would be happy to speak with any of you individually or together. This was the most interesting breakfast I've had in a long time, and only partly due to Gabi's research. Keep up the good work."

With that she was gone. Brett, Shane, and Gabi were left smiling at each other.

#

It was midday on Atlantis and midnight on Planet UV (as Rodney had dubbed it in his mind) when Lorne checked in. He'd found a dead Wraith with the enzyme sack cut out and the smell of Ford on his feeding hand. John was headed for the Jumpers while Rodney piled the last bites of lunch into his mouth.

Rodney hadn't really expected them to find Ford on the first try. He raced by their room for his 100 SPF sunscreen. He wanted to grab a radiation suit from the infirmary, but he wasn't sure Beckett knew John was heading out. Rodney didn't need a confrontation with Beckett any more than his Sentinel did, so he rushed to the Jumper Bay as he spread sunscreen on all exposed skin.

He wasn't surprised to find Stackhouse and Markham in the Jumper. They were tangled up in the Ford fiasco, too. Besides, Rodney suspected John trusted them a little more after Stackhouse helped him out of his zone the day before, and they were going to a planet where senses worked much better than sensors.

The rear hatch closed as soon as Rodney entered. John called in for the gate to open, and somehow sweet talked his way past Weir. Rodney applied sunscreen to his Sentinel's face and neck while he was busy talking to the gate technician. As soon as they were through the gate, John sighed, "What is that stuff and how will I ever smell Ford with it on?"

"Sunscreen. I'm not having you fried on Planet UV, and you can tune out any scent you choose."

Markham tried to disguise a chuckle as a cough, and Rodney threw the sunscreen in his direction. "Don't be an idiot, just put it on."

"It's night on the planet," Markham said.

"And the plants and rocks absorb enough UV during the day to mess with sensors all night. Do I need to explain that the harmful UV rays are not visible even to Sentinels?"

By then John had parked the cloaked Jumper a short way from the gate. The four of them piled out, met with Lorne and Teyla, then divided up to search and shout for Ford.

By the time the sun came up, Rodney was exhausted, sweaty and miserable. He'd been trying not to complain so his Sentinel wouldn't regret bringing him along. But there was only so much a Guide could take. "I have to rest. And eat. Hypoglycemia, remember?"

"There's definitely been movement in this area," John said as he prowled through bushes a short ways away. For a planet with such extreme conditions, the plants looked disappointingly ordinary to McKay, and he hadn't noticed whatever giant streaked rocks John had originally been told about. Then again, he'd been working mostly in the dark, relying on his Sentinel's senses.

He ate half a power bar in one bite.

"The smell from all these plants sure interferes with tracking by scent though." When Rodney didn't comment, John continued, "Somewhat amazing they can grow so high with all this UV."

Rodney mumbled with his mouth full. "I'm sure the botanists will be clamoring to visit."

John held up a fist.

"Hey, it's not like I'm arguing on their behalf."

"Shhh," John said. He had his head cocked as if he had hearing dialed high.

Rodney swallowed the last of his power bar and went to stand beside his Sentinel with a hand on his neck to help ground him.

A single energy pulse took them both down.

Rodney woke sitting up. His butt was cold and numb. The rest of him ached and sweated. He tried to roll his shoulders and found his wrists were tied together with someone's, John's.

"What happened?" Rodney asked as his eyes adjusted to semidarkness.

"The person searching our packs shot us."

"The who?" Rodney heard the click of a big gun, and twisted his neck to see a mountain of a man in torn up leathers and long dreads holding John's P90.

"Take it easy with that," John drawled. "Wouldn't want to hurt any of us on accident."

"What about on purpose?" The barbarian cocked and pointed the P90 at them as if he'd trained to it all his life.

"I don't think you'd have dragged us back here if you wanted us dead."

"Deciding."

"Well, let's try getting to know each other. I'm Lieutenant Colonel John Sheppard, and behind me is Dr. Rodney McKay."

"Hi," Rodney's voice came out higher pitched than he liked. But he was tied up in front of a crazy man with a gun after all. Also, he was in a cave, and knowing that stirred his latent claustrophobia.

"Specialist Ronon Dex."

"That's a military rank?" Sheppard asked.

"Rank and name."

"Then maybe you understand about not leaving a man behind. I lost a team member, Lieutenant Ford, in a Wraith attack, and he's acting crazy for some Wraith enzyme. I think you must be the Satedan runner he's been following for downed Wraith."

"And if I am?"

"We might be able to help each other."

Ronon snorted.

"Do you know how the Wraith find you?"

"Something they put in my back. No one can get it out."

"We've got a really good doctor."

"No time."

"Look," John drawled again. Rodney could actually feel the man try to slouch, which of course he couldn't do, being tied back to back with Rodney and with bruised ribs as well. "I know the Wraith are coming after you harder than ever because you and Ford are both thorns in their side. We like disappointing the Wraith. We want our man back. And unless I miss my guess, there's a reason the Wraith made you a runner that we can help with too. You ever heard of spirit animals or people with unusually good senses?"

"John," Rodney whispered. That wasn't a conversation to have with a crazy man holding them hostage, and they didn't have time for it right now.

"It's okay, Rodney, I can see his spirit animal, and I'm pretty sure he can, too."

Rodney watched Ronon glance nervously to the side and spotted the shaggy, mostly hidden animal with black fur and long tufts around its eyes.

"You thought you were hallucinating, didn't you?" John said. "Trust me, I've been there. Now how about untying us?"

"What can you do about the device in my back?"

"Our doctor has lots of equipment—"

"How fast?"

"We'd have to take you back."

"They'd track me to your world."

"Oh, for goodness sake," Rodney said, "Untie me and let me scan the stupid thing. Maybe we can take it out with an EMP."

Ronon pulled out a wicked looking knife.

"Hey, never mind me." Rodney tried to wave his hands, but of course they were tied. "I talk like that to everyone…"

The barbarian came at him with the knife and Rodney yelped, only to discover he'd been cut free.

Ronon stood with the P90 pointed at John again. "Be quick." He stabbed the gun forward in a universal gesture meaning "or I kill your friend."

Scanning was fast. Understanding took longer.

"Tell me," Ronon demanded, still pointing the P90 at John.

"Thinking." Rodney idly waived a hand near his head as he wished he had Gabi's preliminary thesis along. He knew it included her findings on Wraith power sources, but he hadn't had time to read it yet.

"Too late. I hear Wraith." He cut John's hands free but kept the P90. "Want me to stun your man if we see him? You'll never take him alive otherwise."

The two of them came to some agreement while Rodney worked frantically on his data pad.

"Come on, Rodney," John practically growled above him.

"One sec." Rodney was just putting the final touches on his countermeasures when John physically hauled him up by his underarms. Rodney heard John grunt and remember the bruised ribs.

"What are you doing?" Rodney sputtered. "I just solved it. I can counteract the Wraith tracking signal if we get him to a Jumper."

"Then we better catch up to him and tell him." John shoved Rodney's pack at him and then hauled him out of the cave.

It was all Rodney could do to follow John who had to be using Sentinel senses to follow Ronon.

Suddenly John pushed Rodney down, and there was shooting all around. John had his P90 back somehow and was shooting to the side and then right over Rodney's head.

Rodney hunched around his data pad, protecting the countermeasure he'd written along with the scans of the Wraith device. At least two Wraith went down. Rodney realized he could sense when they died without using the life signs detector. Hearing their buzz in his mind he knew two were nearby and two more were coming fast through the gate. He heard the screech of Wraith Darts and was going to warn John about the two on the ground.

A Wraith stepped out from the trees aiming at John. Three shots from what had to be a P90 took him down. Rodney looked up and saw Ford was the shooter, just as he saw Ronon stun the other Wraith on the ground and then stun Ford.

"Jumpers plan B," John whispered into his radio. He turned to Ronon, both of their weapon still drawn. "I think that's it on the ground. Rodney has a way to jam the Wraith tracker. Wanna come meet our doctor?"

Ronon shrugged and threw the unconscious Ford over his shoulder as is he weighed nothing. John took the lead with Rodney in the middle and Ronon in back. Rodney shook his head, trying to clear the remnants of Wraith presence, but he couldn't.

"No, there's another Wraith on the ground as well as two in darts," Rodney whispered.

Immediately, his Sentinel shoved him behind a boulder. Ronon dumped the unconscious Ford beside him. Both Sentinels stood back to back, scanning around them. Rodney reached a hand around John's ankle, grounding him with touch.

John pointed. Ronon cocked his head and then nodded. John pointed between Rodney, Ford and the rock until Rodney understood he was to stay put. Then John pointed at Rodney's sidearm, which in all the rush he'd never drawn. Rodney pulled it out and released the safety. Then John motioned spreading his hands down his entire body as if he were smoothing bulky clothes. When Rodney only stared at his Sentinel's hands, the man gave up and whispered, "Shield on."

Ronon gazed intently at Rodney for a moment as he engaged the shield, then John and Ronon took off in two different directions. Rodney tried to keep watch and guard Ford but the Wraith noise in his mind seemed to grow with each passing second. There were no words or meaning like when he'd heard the Wraith Queen. Just yearning, hunger, something that burned. Rodney's throat tightened, and he was worried about throwing up by the time he heard P90 fire and the blast he already recognized as Ronon's weapon. Then John and Ronan were back. Ronon hoisted Ford over his shoulder again. John motioned Rodney to the middle as they ran to a clear area at the side of the forest.

A disembodied arm waved them into a cloaked Jumper just as a Wraith Dart passed by with its beam directed at the cleared path on the ground.

"We'll be safer in the air," John said to Lorne, who immediately took off. John turned to Rodney who instantly released his shield with an easy thought. Giving Rodney's shoulder a squeeze, John said, "Start jamming the tracking device, just in case. We can't go through the gate until the Wraith let it close."

By the time John claimed the co-pilot seat and Rodney triggered and checked his countermeasure, Ronon and Teyla had the unconscious Ford trussed head to toe. Teyla started explaining the Lantean stories of Sentinels and Guides. Ronon grunted at her occasionally and looked around.

About twenty minute later they got through the gate. John insisted they divert through a couple of extra gates before he sent in his IDC and took them home. They were met in the Jumper Bay by Weir, Beckett, a medical team, and two security teams in full gear.

Rodney immediately sent his scan results from the Wraith tracking device to Beckett and Gabi. Then he called Gabi on the radio. "I just sent you data for a Wraith tracking device and the countermeasure I'm using to block it. Bring whatever equipment you need and meet us in the infirmary."

As they moved en masse to the infirmary Rodney heard Weir reading the riot act to John. Having no one better to vent at for the moment, he stepped in and told Weir, "Against all odds, Sheppard's brand of diplomacy brought back Ford and a Wraith fighting machine who's either a Sentinel or a Guide and one of the last survivors of what in this galaxy counts as a technologically advanced civilization. Let Beckett get the old pet tracker out and see if the stray wants to stay with us."

"Rodneeeey." John's voice pitched up at the end as if he somehow didn't appreciate Rodney's support.

By that time they'd reached the infirmary and Rodney saw Gabi rushing in with her box of detecting equipment. "Fine, whatever, I have minions to keep in check."

Beckett started assigning beds. Rodney ushered Gabi over by Ford's and Ronon's in the highest tech area. "Set up in this corner. It's out of the way but the tracker signal won't be completely overwhelmed by my countermeasure at this distance. We need to figure out the best way to deactivate the device once it's removed while leaving as much as possible to study. And we need a complete set of readings on all frequencies to confirm when it's fully disabled."

A crash behind him caused Rodney to duck and cover his head. Gabi grabbed her box and was under the table in a flash. Ford surged off his bed fighting two medical staff as two others stood mute with medical restraints in hand. The security teams that had followed from the Jumper Bay scrambled to surround the scene.

Ronon pulled out his blaster and stunned Ford again.

"You're gonna need Wraith restraints," Ronon said twirling his gun and ignoring all the security peoples' weapons now aimed at him.

"Stand down." John told the Marines. Then he tapped his radio and asked, "Anyone on inventory or database know where we'd find Wraith restraints?" Someone must have answered because John nodded and said, "They're on their way."

Beckett schooled his expression from deer in headlights to annoyed father figure. "Sheppard, McKay, you were assigned beds over there for your post-mission checks. Go now and you might be included when I brief Elizabeth about the alien tracking device." He turned to Ronon, "Mr. Dex, please sit over here and remove all clothing covering or surrounding the device."

Rodney pushed John ahead of him, gently, once again mindful of John's injured ribs. They sat on beds facing each other and Rodney handed a nurse his dosimeter saying, "Add that reading to my files. The Colonel was with me the whole time and not wearing one, so you might as well add it to his records, too. Also, I think I twisted my ankle."

The nurse rolled her eyes but didn't argue. Rodney heard John tell his nurse, "I only fell down once."

"He fell because he was shot with a stunner," Rodney volunteered. "Then Conan probably hauled us over his shoulders to get us back to his cave. And the Colonel yanked me from the floor a little later. I heard him grunt."

"I can't take you anywhere." John sniffed, but Rodney could see him relax, probably grounding on the scent and sound of his Guide.

"You can and you will. Look at how successful we were today."

John brayed his donkey laugh. Rodney realized he hadn't heard it in a while.

#

Gabi quietly set up in the corner McKay had indicated. Although she expected to be chased away at any moment, no one even looked her way. She set up her detector and swiped through the scans and information McKay had sent. Then she diagrammed how to disable the device with two wires and a twelve volt power source. She pulled a spare battery out of her box and attached the wires. Gabi sent McKay and Beckett the diagram with a note that she was all set to disable the device once it was removed.

Then she sat down by the table where she could monitor readings on both the tracking signal and the interference from McKay's countermeasure.

#

An hour post mission found John standing by Ford's bed as the lieutenant thrashed and screamed. John rested his hand on Ford's shoulder, because it was the only unbound area that didn't move too much. Ford's arms were secured in padded metal restraints from his palms to above his elbows. His feet were shackled to each other and to some anchor point under the bed.

"Can't you give him something, doc?" John asked.

The tired Scot shook his head. "This is withdrawal. I'm limited in what I can offer given what needs to wash out of his system. You don't have to stay and watch."

"I think I owe it to him."

Beckett looked John up and down. "Fifteen minutes. Then I'm ordering you out of here to eat and rest."

John nodded even though he had no intention of being sent away for long. He glanced to the nearby bed where Ronon was lying on his stomach, while talking to Teyla and Lorne in low tones. Lorne met John's eyes and nodded.

At a table in the corner, Rodney and Gabi were excitedly pointing at and arguing over the device removed from Ronon's back. In the end, that had been anticlimactic. Carson fretted when Ronon refused anesthetic, but the surgery went off without a hitch. Gabi deactivated the tracker with two wires attached to a battery and then checked all the other devices she'd rigged in the corner to pronounce the signal dead.

Ford screamed again, and Shane came into the infirmary following Gabi's aardvark.

McKay looked up and said, "At least it isn't my beaver this time."

Gabi went to pat her spirit animal. The aardvark rubbed her snout on Gabi's hand once and then snuffled over to Ford's bed.

Ford was shaking rather than screaming now. John cocked an eyebrow at the two young people and the aardvark.

Shane turned to Gabi, "She seems to think we can do something."

"Like it or not, the Wraith frequency spectrums may overlap with Sentinel and especially Guide energy signatures somewhat. Do you think he has a spirit animal she could merge with?"

Shane shook his head. "I don't see an animal for him, though the new guy over there has something interesting." They both looked toward Ronon and then back at Ford.

"It's called a shoff," John answered without looking away from the bed.

"So if Ford's not a Sentinel or Guide and doesn't have a spirit animal, what does my aardvark want us to do?"

"There are stories of shamanic healing, but I've never actually seen it when those involved weren't Sentinels or Guides."

"What if the Wraith are like twisted relatives of Guides and Ford is sick because he's had their enzymes in him for a long time?"

"I can try meditating while touching him, but I think the aardvark coming to get me means you hold some part of the solution."

"I could meditate with you."

Shane tilted his head then reached forward and rubbed her shoulder. "Why don't you observe and think for now? If that's what ends up seeming right to you, we'll go with it."

John was amazed at how calmly the young Sentinel and shaman discussed what their spirit animals meant. He watched as Shane pulled up a chair opposite John and put his hand on Ford's other shoulder.

Ford's shaking almost instantly subsided. He still quivered as if all his muscles were tense and restless, but Shane's touch made a huge difference. John cautiously removed his hand to see if that would make any difference. Ford showed no sign of noticing.

A warm hand on his waist pulled him sideways against Rodney. "Looks like you've done your part, and it's someone else's turn," Rodney said.

"He can't do that all night," John said.

"Oh," Gabi gasped from the end of the bed. "I think I know a solution to that." She dashed out of the infirmary. Her aardvark walked through the wall behind her and disappeared.

John put his arm around his Guide's shoulders and waited to see if there really was a solution.

Gabi came back with two of the green crystals like John's porta-Guide. For a moment she seemed put off by the restraints that covered down to Ford's palms. Then she held one crystal out to Sheppard and said, "Could you try pressing this under the fingers on that side while I press this crystal over here. I want to see if he'll grab onto one or both for comfort."

John took the crystal and moved in sync with Gabi. Ford's fingers immediately wrapped around the crystal John offered. He had to work his own fingers free.

Gabi pulled back her crystal, which hadn't been grabbed. "Just to make sure it's not about who's offering it, could you come over here and see if he wants this one if you do the same thing?"

John dropped the arm around Rodney to hold his hand and lead him around the bed. Then he offered the other crystal. Ford still didn't take it.

"Interesting. He reacts to Shane and to the crystal Shane and Brett charged, but he doesn't want the one Shane and I made. I'd hypothesize he only wants Guide energy and not what comes from Sentinels."

"How did two Guides charge a crystal?" Rodney asked.

"They're bonded to each other as well as to me. If you read the paper I sent you, you'll see that the energy readings from the three crystals we charged as pairs align perfectly with the readings for a crystal all three of us charged together. However, that's slightly different from the ZPMs we charged together, so the crystal matrix and programming involved also affect each distribution."

"Well," Rodney said, puffing up his chest, "You still need to determine where the energy comes from in the first place, but I guess your spirit animals will let you know if there's a serious problem with what you're doing for Ford."

Gabi looked like she was about to explain more when Shane released Ford's shoulder and stood.

Ford didn't seem to mind. "I think the spirit animals are content for now. Yours, too. Whatever you did must have worked."

John looked at Rodney who just rolled his eyes.

"Yes, we realize you still don't have a clue," Rodney said. "Let's get some rest, and we'll see if it makes more sense to you in the morning."

John was pretty sure he heard the kids laughing after he and McKay left the infirmary. He couldn't really blame them.

#

Gabi chuckled as her boss and his Sentinel walked away. She told Shane, "You guys should probably make a spare crystal we can leave with Beckett. I don't know if Ford is draining energy from it or just comforted by some resonance."

"Oh no, I have to kiss Brett some more. However will we manage?"

Gabi mussed Shane's hair, which had no effect on the short tight curls, but it felt good on Gabi's palm. From Shane's heart rate, she guessed it felt even better to him.

"Ahem," Lorne said from his place by the other bed.

"We were just leaving," Gabi said.

"Could you join us for a moment first?" Teyla said. "Have you been introduced to our newest ally and Sentinel, Specialist Ronon Dex?"

They both moved around to where Ronon could easily see them from his position lying on his chest. His back was half covered with a dressing where the Wraith device had been removed and with a sheet lower down. But his arms, shoulders and upper back displayed a lot of muscle as he rested his chin on crossed palms. In his riot of hair, Gabi spotted beads and bits of metal. He smelled a little ripe, but also smoky and masculine.

Shane gave her arm a squeeze, and Gabi realized she'd come close to zoning. "Pleased to meet you. I'm Gabi Hansen."

"I am Inkentshane, but most people call me Shane."

"Teyla has a good idea," Ronon said.

Gabi looked to Teyla who always took her time before speaking. "Lorne and I would like to form a team to visit other planets where there are Sentinel and Guide stories or people we think might be that way. We had thought to include the two of you and Brett. Ronon wishes to join us partly to learn more and partly to see if he is drawn to a Guide. He would also add another fighter and Sentinel to our group, although we would avoid dangerous situations to the extent possible."

"We'd get to visit other planets?" Gabi asked.

Teyla nodded.

"Me, too?" Brett asked, approaching silently from the infirmary entrance behind them.

"Definitely. What brings you here?" Gabi asked.

"A cat who walks through walls." Brett looked around. "And then disappears." Brett kissed Shane and then Gabi on the cheek. "You good with this, Shane?"

Shane captured both their hands and held them. "It would be my honor as a shaman and a Guide." Then facing more toward the others he said, "We might also ask for stories of ascension and whatever people name the shamans' varied paths on other worlds. With what Brett and Gabi have learned concerning energy, ascension, and the spirit plane, I believe these subjects may be connected."

"Our team will be richer for all our perspectives." Teyla smiled proudly and placed her hands on Lorne and Ronon's shoulders.

Gabi reached out too, setting her hand on top of Teyla's nearer one. Her fingertips brushed Ronon's skin. For a moment, she was sure some form of energy touched them all.

#

John followed right behind Rodney as they carried food from the mess to their room.

As they came inside, Rodney's beaver jumped down from the sofa and Sheppard's raven flew to the top of the entertainment system and squawked at them.

"Now I know where that terrible sound you call a laugh comes from," Rodney said.

"Cool." John rocked to the balls of his feet as both animals disappeared through the far wall.

The two men set their food down on the table and dug in. John felt happy and horny as he bumped his knee into Rodney's at every opportunity. Rodney bumped back and ate his chicken stew and greens twice as fast. When Rodney finished he stole John's roll and half of his dessert. Then he straddled John's lap right there on the couch and kissed him deep and dirty.

John wanted to lose himself completely in his lover's body, but something kept niggling at his brain with the irritating feeling that he'd left it undone.

"Out with it," Rodney said. "I intend to have your full and undivided attention tonight."

John sighed. "Was it really as simple as getting Ford back?"

"Don't be an idiot. Your brain can't be that much worse at this totally non-scientific stuff than mine is. It had to be big enough to damage your bond with your spirit animal."

John really wanted to bury himself in Rodney and forget it all.

"Your bird was aware and looking around before we left this morning, but still hurt."

"So that means what? I was aware again?"

Rodney huffed. "Are you feeling better about your ability to fight the Wraith?"

"Uh, yeah?"

Rodney slid his hand up John's neck and into his hair. Then he kissed him breathless. "Are you feeling better about what happened on Milkoa and the planet with all the pregnant women?"

"Uh, yes." John didn't quite know what Rodney was playing at, but he was pretty sure saying yes would get him kisses. Besides, it was true. Whatever insecurity had been nagging him after that long day in the field without his Guide, Rodney had helped him get past most of it the night before. John flashed on his Raven looking around the room that morning.

This time when Rodney kissed him, Rodney also tugged out the bottom of John's shirt. Soon his Guide's clever hands were underneath and pulling the shirt up with them to reach John's nipples. John's thoughts derailed as Rodney moved to kneel on the ground while licking John's nipples and pulling his shirt over his head.

"And are you feeling better about trusting your Guide and taking him with you on missions?

"Yeah." John almost moaned as Rodney palmed his cock.

Rodney started sucking John's nipple as he ran teasing fingers along the inseam or John's pants.

"And you're feeling better about yourself as a Sentinel?"

"Yes." Right then the Sentinel discovered that the rhythm of his Guide's sucking and petting accelerated along with his heartbeat.

Rodney ran his fingers just under John's waistband, and John's breath hitched. Rodney unfastened his pants and breathed hot and wet on the tip of John's cock. John's sense of touch ratcheted up chasing the sensation. It took a moment for John to find something closer to normal on his number line to prevent himself from zoning.

"And on a more human level, you're feeling better about yourself as a leader and the military commander of Atlantis."

"Yes." John said it with a rising tone on the end, the way he wanted to say, "Please."

Rodney removed the rest of John's clothes, kissing his way down John's legs. He nuzzled John's groin as he took forever untying John's boots. John rode every breath, every brush of rough cheek or feathery hair against his cock. He drank in the scent of Rodney's arousal, the sound of his heart beating faster.

Then Rodney was kneeling fully clothed between John's legs. John was completely naked. Rodney's lips hovered just in front of his cock.

"So basically, you've found your way back to your usual happy horny self."

John imagined he heard his raven squawk. He was pretty sure he didn't make that noise as his lover sucked down deep with his incredibly talented mouth. Whatever noise he did or didn't make must have been all right because Rodney had him flying.


End file.
